Ever wonder why some meats are vivid cherry in their bundle, and some are darker brown — and why they plow cerise upon existence opened? It'due south completely normal — but it tin cause business organisation if you're not sure what's upwards. Here's the science that affects the color of raw meat under vacuum sealing, and what to look for to ensure your meat is set up to enjoy.

The science: What color is raw meat, anyway?

The color of raw meat depends the kind of muscle, the age of the creature, its diet and exercise, the atmospheric condition at packaging and during storage — and to complicate things farther, information technology is perfectly normal for the color change over fourth dimension.

The USDA explains that the protein myoglobin, is a key gene in the color of red meat:

Myoglobin, a poly peptide, is responsible for the majority of the red colour. Myoglobin doesn't circulate in the blood only is stock-still in the tissue cells and is purplish in colour. When it is mixed with oxygen, it becomes oxymyoglobin and produces a bright crimson colour. The remaining color comes from the hemoglobin which occurs mainly in the circulating blood, simply a small amount tin can exist found in the tissues after slaughter.

Color is also influenced by the age of the animate being, the species, sex, diet, and even the exercise it gets….Exercised muscles are always darker in color, which means the same animal tin have variations of colour in its muscles.

How packaging affects the color of the meat

It turns out that the color nosotros acquaintance with the surface of meats (i.e., blood-red-crimson for beef; dark cherry-red for lamb; and pale pink for veal) is highly unstable and brusk-lived. The reason? Meat changes color depending on how much oxygen is effectually it.  Equally the USDA explains, "when meat is fresh and protected from contact with air (such equally in vacuum packages), it has the regal-blood-red colour that comes from myoglobin… When exposed to air, myoglobin forms the pigment, oxymyoglobin, which gives meat a pleasingly cherry-red color."  This is what we phone call "blooming" — when you lot open your vacuum-sealed packet and the meat brightens with exposure to oxygen (this can take anywhere from 5-xxx minutes, and may not occur evenly over the surface of the meat).

When however in its package, our Premium Burger Alloy is cherry-brown

Afterwards existence unwrapped, the meat "blooms" (reacts with the oxygen in the air) and is bright red

Why the color is different, even earlier I open the package?

The color of meat is affected by how much oxygen is nowadays to react with the myglobin in the meat.  The color of the beefiness in the packet is not an indication of freshness– it's just an indicator of how much oxygen was in the package at the fourth dimension of vacuum sealing, and the rate of freezing.

Summit Signs Your Meat is 100% Great to Enjoy

  • It smells…like non much. Spoiled meat has a strong, unpleasant aroma.  If your meat is fresh and has very little scent, it's safe.
  • It's moist, but not overly glace or slimy. This can indicate spoilage.

Things you lot might see that are NOT cause for concern

  • Dark blue or green smudges — this is food-prophylactic ink from the USDA inspection stamp. It is quite literally a "marking of quality". While information technology is usually institute on the outer layers of cardinal cuts, and therefore rarely remains on the butchered terminal product, y'all may see it on your meat. It is not spoilage, mold or cause for concern.
  • The metal kosher prune on poultry

Signs your meat should not, in fact, be consumed:

  • It smells bad.  Seriously — if meat has spoiled, you volition know.
  • It is slimy, sticky or tacky.

Want to acquire more?

Check out the USDA's post "The Color of Meat and Poultry" here.  However have questions? Please be in bear on with us at info@growandbehold.com or 888-790-5781. We are here to ensure you are completely satisfied with your Grow & Behold meats.