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Q: brown beef - how does it get that way ( Answered,   0 Comments )
Question  
Subject: brown beef - how does it get that way
Category: Miscellaneous
Asked by: phoebeinbrazil-ga
List Price: $2.00
Posted: 01 Dec 2003 11:49 PST
Expires: 31 Dec 2003 11:49 PST
Question ID: 282298
I recently purchased hamburger at a large supermarket.  Outside it
look plesantly red.  When I brought it home and broke it open to make
hamburgers, the inside was brown.  Thus, the outside was red and the
inside brown.  I thought exposure to oxgen caused the meat to brown. 
When I returned it to the market, the butcher said it was contact with
beef that caused it to turn brown.  In  other words, he said that meat
touching meat is what causes it to turn brown.  Is this true?
Answer  
Subject: Re: brown beef - how does it get that way
Answered By: thx1138-ga on 01 Dec 2003 12:16 PST
 
Hello phoebeinbrazil and thank you for your question.

Don't worry! In fact when you said "I thought exposure to oxgen caused
the meat to brown." it is the other way around ie. exposure to oxygen
turns it red.  See below, and the end search strategy for more
details:

"I've noticed that packages of ground beef are bright red on the
outside, but a sort of dull grayish brown on the inside. Why is that?
And should it concern me?

It shouldn't concern you at all.

The red color of beef and other red meats is largely due to the
presence of a natural pigment called myoglobin. When the surface of
ground beef and beef cuts is exposed to air, the oxygen of the air
combines with the myoglobin to form oxymyoglobin, which is bright red
in color. This color change doesn't mean the meat isn't fresh or
edible. It's just a natural occurrence when red meats are exposed to
oxygen."
http://www.itswhatsfordinner.com/askexpert/default.asp#qa2

So in other words, your butcher was kind of correct in that if meat is
in close enough contact with other meat, then no oxygen can get to it
and it will remain brown until exposed to the air (and the oxygen)
when it will turn red.

Thank you for your question, and if you need any clarification of my
answer, do not hesitate to ask.

Very best regards

THX1138

Search strategy included:
oxymyoglobin myoglobin beef
://www.google.com/search?hl=pt&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&as_qdr=all&q=oxymyoglobin+myoglobin+beef&lr=
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