Does Red Really Mean Fresh...?

I know that all of us have a tendency to choose the red meat as the freshest, but is it really? Here is another article from Listverse that may help to answer that question.

Supermarkets Add Carbon Monoxide To Make Meat Redder

Do you consider the redness of meat an indication of its freshness?

Well! Redness does not always equate to freshness. Supermarkets usually blast their meat with carbon monoxide—the same deadly gas released in car exhaust—to make it red. And that meat will remain red even when it is spoiled.

Meat naturally turns brown or gray a few days after it is cut. To prevent this, the meat industry invented modified atmosphere packaging (MAP). They expose the meat to carbon monoxide before putting it in the MAP packages. This allows the meat to remain fresh for up to a year. Seventy percent of meat sold in stores in the US is treated with MAP.

Consumer groups have attempted to stop the meat industry from using the deadly carbon monoxide in their products. However, the meat industry says it will continue to use carbon monoxide because consumers will not buy any meat that is not fresh.

I guess if we wanted to look at it realistically, we are all at the mercy of the food industry in one way or another. Almost enough to drive us to drink, isn't it?

Coffee in the kitchen this morning...or would you rather have tea?