We often take for granted the subtle cues displayed by meat while browsing the grocery meat department. Either we assume that the meat is fresh, or we simply don't know how to tell if meat has gone bad . There are several indicators to be aware of, and we can think of 12 red flags you should never ignore in the grocery store meat department .
One significant red flag is pools of liquid in the meat packaging. This liquid is often mistaken for blood because it is red and comes from the meat, but it is actually known as purge in the meat industry. Purge is a mixture of water and meat proteins, one of which is myoglobin, and since myoglobin is what primarily gives meat its red color, it's not unreasonable to confuse purge for blood.
The more myoglobin present in meat, the redder it appears. Additionally, because meat muscle tissue contains 70-75% water, this liquid — which is colored red by myoglobin — leaks from the meat and forms the pool of purge you observe. You may be thinking that water and meat protein equal a red purge, not a red flag.
However, the fact that meat is losing water is a warning sign. Meat's ability to hold water indicates its quality, and the more liquid it loses, the lower the quality of the final product. Several factors can contribute to this loss, including hereditary factors, handling of livestock, and storage temperatures.
Factors that cause purge in grocery meat Purge occurs as the meat's ability to retain water changes during storage. This capaci.