The Colour of Meat
Why does meat change colour' If it does, is it still safe to eat' What colour indicates if a piece of meat is fresh'

These are some of the most common question asked by consumers concerning the colour of meat. Here are some of the factors that influences the colour of meat.

The bright red colour that you see so often in meat (especially beef) is due to a protein in the meat called Myoglobin being exposed to Oxygen. Colour is also influence by the age of the animal, the species, sex, diet, and how much exercise it gets. The older the animal, the darker the color because myoglobin increases with age. Also, the more exercise the animal gets the darker its meat will be.

Change in colour alone, does not mean that the product has gone bad. Colour change is normal for fresh product. Although sometimes colour change in meat does indicate spoilage, this colour change should also be accompanied by an odour, be sticky or tacky to the touch or slimy. If your meat contains these characteristics than it should not be used.