The color difference can make people think that fresh ground beef has spoiled, when in fact it's fine. In fact, if you open s package and expose the purple- red meat to air, it will change to a bright red color.
Note that this is different from slightly older meat. As the meat starts to age the myoglobin changes to metmyoglobin, which is grey- brown in color. This doesn't indicate that the meat has spoiled, but does have an unappealing color when raw. It doesn't effect the cooked product- it cooks the same.
Meat that is really old often is grey or grey green. Steer clear. In general, color isn't a good indicator. It is better to use your nose and smell for sourness, or feel for a tacky or slimy texture. If you detect shy of these, pass. Besides, bacteria and other pathogens can harm far before the ground beef gives you signs of spoilage. You should be careful and always buy the freshest possible product.
When freshly slaughtered meat is cut into steaks, the muscle tissue comes into contact with oxygen in the air. The myoglobin in the meat binds this oxygen, forming oxymyoglobin and giving the meat a red color. However, if fresh meat sits for a period of time, generally over the course of several days, the structure of the myoglobin changes.
The iron molecule in the middle is oxidized from its ferrous to ferric form and a different complex is formed called metmyoglobin.
This compound turns the raw meat a brown color. The meat is usually still safe to eat when cooked, but the brown, unappealing color turns off most consumers. To avoid having your fresh meat turn brown, use it as soon as possible after purchasing it. I haven't seen this in a long time, but purchased ground beef from a larger store and opened to make hamburgers.
It smelled fine, inside and out, but that red-dye actually showed up on my hands after forming patties.
Many healthy foods can be stored long-term without spoiling. Well, it depends on your diet and goal. Health Conditions Discover Plan Connect. Share on Pinterest. Check the color. Inspect the texture. Perform a smell test. Check the expiration date. Side effects of eating bad beef. How to safely handle ground beef.
The bottom line. Read this next. Medically reviewed by Natalie Butler, R. Beef Nutrition Facts and Health Effects. An Objective Look. Is Moldy Food Dangerous? Not Always. Eating Meat for Weight Loss? Have a Question? Why is pre-packaged ground beef red on the outside and sometimes dull, grayish-brown inside?
Information Knowledge Article. Oxygen from the air reacts with meat pigments to form a bright red color which is usually seen on the surface of meat purchased in the supermarket. The pigment responsible for the red color in meat is oxymyoglobin, a substance found in all warm-blooded animals. Fresh cut meat is purplish in color. However, if all or a lot of the meat in the package has turned gray or brown, you should check its freshness in two ways. First, the sniff test.
Fresh ground beef may have a mild iron smell, but if it starts to smell rotten beef tends to get a funky sweet odor , you should err on the side of caution and throw it out. Second, the touch test. Fresh ground beef is usually cool to the touch, smooth, and slightly damp. But ground beef that's starting to go bad can feel slimy, tacky, or sticky. Once again, you shouldn't risk it if you think the texture is off — it's best to throw it out if you suspect it's starting to go bad via The Takeout.
Whatever you do, never eat the meat to see if it's spoiled. Even a slight taste of it could result in a foodborne illness via Insider. There are a few things you can do to make sure you select fresh ground beef to begin with, which will increase your chances of longer lasting meat.
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