Why does bacon require refrigeration?

What we think of as 'bacon' and what we buy as 'bacon' are two very different things. We think about bacon and ham as being a way to preserve pork meat. read more

It will spoil, though less quickly than raw bacon. Unrefrigerated, cooked bacon has made its appearance in supermarkets across the US. This product does have a shelf-life after which disposal is recommended. The bacon is packed either in a vacuum or in a gas like nitrogen that prevents oxidation and retards microbial activity. read more

Cooked bacon needs to be refrigerated, unless it is factory-cooked in an unopened package. Cooked bacon can be made shelf-stable through complicated factory processes that cannot be reproduced at home. read more