You Asked It!

Rainbow Color in Meat

There are many color compounds in meat. One you may see is a rainbow or iridescent color. This can happen in cooked beef or lunch meat and also in cured meats.

Meat contains iron, fat, and many other compounds. When light hits a slice of meat, it splits into colors like a rainbow. There are also various pigments in meat compounds which can give it an iridescent or greenish cast when exposed to heat and processing. Iridescent beef isn’t spoiled necessarily. Spoiled cooked beef would probably also be slimy or sticky and have an off-odor.

Source: http://bit.ly/2l8RpiZ

 

About Karen Blakeslee

The Rapid Response Center was formed in 1995 as a resource for Kansas State University Research & Extension Agents. Resource topics included Food Science, Human Nutrition, Food Service, Textiles, Home Care and other consumer topics. Since that time, the Center has grown to be of valuable assistance to Kansas State University Extension Specialists in those areas.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *