Why Red Meat Turns Brown In The Fridge

Why red meat turns brown in the fridge is exactly what this post will be discussing so keep reading.

If you’ve ever noticed that your red meat turns brown in the fridge, you might be wondering why this happens.

The answer is actually pretty simple – it’s all thanks to the iron in the meat. When meat is exposed to oxygen, the iron oxidizes and turns the meat brown.

This process is perfectly normal and doesn’t mean that the meat is bad. In fact, you can still cook and eat the meat as usual.

Just be aware that it might not look as appetizing as it did when you first bought it!

Meat changing colors

Don’t get afraid or confused when meat is not the exact color as it was when you got it: according to USDA, changing color can be a result of oxidation.

Most of the time your meat’s freshness might fade over time and stay in the fridge.

So visual effects are not enough to conclude If meat is edible or not.

Why does red meat brown in the fridge?

It is a little bit technical to explain why red meat turns brown,  but with a little bit of patience let us go through why together.

Oxymyoglobin is what gives meat that gorgeous red color we love, but there is a protein called myoglobin that creates pigment.

When there is the introduction of store lighting and continuous exposure of myoglobin and oxymyoglobin with oxygen, a combination of everything leads to the formation of metmyoglobin, which is a pigment that makes meat brownish-red.  

Read more: Where Should Raw Meat Be Stored In A Refrigerator?

What does brown-red meat in the fridge indicate?

Changing of color can occur in frozen or frozen foods, but it still makes them safe to eat.

The gorgeous bright red color of meat as bought can usually turn dark or pale brown with respect to the variety of the meat.

Some of the factors that influence this change in color can be lack of oxygen, freezer burn, or when the meat has been turning for a very long time.

What is the duration red meat can stay in the fridge?

Type	Refrigerator (40 °F or below)
Beef (including burgers)	1 to 2 days
Lamb and mutton	3 to 5 days
Pork (including sausages and bacon)	3 to 5 days
Veal	3 to 5 days
Venison	5 to 7 days
Goat	1 to 2 days

How can you tell the meat is bad?

To know that the meat is bad, the first indication is a slimy surface film that is easily noticeable.

It will be pale or yellowish in color making the meat seem as if it is shining more than usual.

It can also be slippery or sticky in feel when you run your fingers over it.

When a slice of meat is very bad, it starts to develop a distinctive, piercing smell that will make your face scrunch up.

It develops an unpleasant smell, bad meat can also be gluey or mucous to the touch. 

How long can red meat stay in the fridge after thwarting?

There is another special case when a slice of meat thwarts in a fridge or refrigerator, now ground meat should be used as early as possible.

As a piece of meat has been frozen and thawed, then the meat will degrade more rapidly than if it was frozen or has stayed frozen.

Whole meat cuts (chops, roasts) will still be useable for another 3-5 days in the fridge or refrigerator before cooking.

Freezing Red Meat

Red meat for example; Ground beef is a food staple in most homes, but the way they are packaged in stores or supermarkets causes a major problem.

When you make use of it, this mode of packaging called tube packaging makes it very difficult for you to defrost the whole package in time for cooking.

So it is important to understand the best means to freeze red meat.

This is a simple method of freezing red meat for safe maintenance and easy defrosting.

1. Open the package but do not remove the red meat from the package
2. Open a large freezer bag and hold it with your left hand
3. Place the red meat inside the bag with your right hand until there is no red meat left.
4.  Close the bag when you are done filling it with the red meat
5. Flatten the bag as much as possible, to reduce the air in the bag
6. Place the bag in the fridge or freezer.

USDA also recommends placing red meat in a sealed plastic bag under cold water for approximately 30 minutes to an hour for thwarting.

Change the water at least once or twice until the meat is fully defrosted.

Conclusion

Although the color of meat is a significant key to understanding the state of the meat if it is spoiled or edible, due to the fact that red meat in a fridge can turn brown because of different factors.

It is better to understand other major factors that cause the color of red meat to brown as explained in the article above.

A slice of brown-red meat is still fine, according to the U.S Department of Agriculture explains that it is okay for fresh meat to change color during storage.