I bought salmon a week ago and wanted to make it for dinner today. When I took it out of the refrigerator, it had a yellow stain on it. What is it?

The Bottom Line

A yellow stain on salmon is usually a sign of aging fat or early spoilage, not something you should ignore. When raw fish has been in the fridge for a week, discoloration is your warning sign.

When in doubt, throw it out — your health is worth more than one meal.

If you want, I can also:

• Rewrite this as a short viral Q&A
• Adapt it for a food safety blog
• Turn it into a “when to toss vs. keep” guide
• Add photo-based identification tips

Just tell me how you want to use it 🍣