Why You Should Think Twice Before Buying Aldi's Deli Meat

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Aldi is the place for low-cost, high-quality groceries. There's an abundance of amazing Aldi foods available for under $3, from L'oven Fresh Deli Rolls to Park Street Deli Hummus, and many of the chain's exclusive store brands receive high praise. Of course, not every Aldi product is a resounding success, and the store's deli meats have met with criticism over the years. Specifically, this stuff can get pretty slimy, according to Reddit. One commenter stated, "The slime on it is the reason I no longer buy it. I just couldn't get past the slime." Similar complaints were shared on Facebook, where an Aldi shopper said, "[the sliced deli meat] gets a little slimy sometimes."

Slime on processed meat is often an indicator of spoilage, so it's not surprising that some people claim to have fallen ill after eating Aldi's cold cuts. On the same Facebook post asking if the store's deli meat was worth buying, a different commenter said, "Only thing I don't buy at Aldi. Got me and my wife sick [from] back to back purchases. Never again." And a Redditor claimed to have experienced "Horrific food poisoning" after eating Aldi deli turkey and cheese. The poster alleged that they eventually required the assistance of EMTs after "Uncontrollable vomiting and diarrhea," plus loss of consciousness, though it's not possible to corroborate their story.

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Aldi's lack of a deli counter is one of many ways the grocery chain cuts costs to keep its goods reasonably priced. And you can't deny that the store's lunch meat selection is exceedingly affordable, as products at our local Aldi range from $1.65 for basic bologna to $5.29 for organic smoked turkey breast. This cost-saving measure may be to blame for the freshness issues with the lunch meat, however, as pre-packaged selections are delivered to the store and not sliced fresh as they would be at other grocery chains. 

Overall, a slimy texture in deli meats could mean one of two things: additives injected into the meat are leaching out or the meat has gone bad. Natural and artificial additives improve the flavor and appearance of deli meats but can negatively affect texture. As such, the meat is still safe to eat, though the unpalatable sliminess is bound to ruin your sandwich. When it comes to spoiled lunch meat, slimy textures will be accompanied by a sour smell and discoloration, which indicate that the meat is spoiled and should be discarded. Regardless of quality concerns, the USDA offers some guidance on how long deli meat lasts. While unopened packages can remain in the fridge for up to two weeks, opened packages should be consumed in three to five days.