Ground Beef Color
Why is pre-packaged ground beef red on the outside and sometimes dull, grayish-brown inside?
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. The interior of the meat may be grayish brown due to lack of oxygen. If all the meat in the package has turned grey or brown, it may be beginning to spoil.
USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service
www.fsis.usda.gov
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