Tuesday, January 15, 2019

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?

6 comments:

Mamahen said...

I really hate it when you crumble some nice red ground beef, to find it pale and gray inside. Yuck! Now I know that is probably the best part of it 😕...Tea would be nice thank you.:))

Momlady said...

There's actually a market nearby that had meat that had not been treated. I confess it didn't look appetizing. Guess we've been well conditioned. Tea, please. It has more caffeine and I need that this morning.

linda m said...

That is why I wish I could always buy my meat from a local butcher. Thankfully I am able to once in a while. Guess if it hasn't killed me by this time it never will. Tea would be just fine today.

Rob said...

"Allows the meat to remain fresh for up to a year" A year? I wonder if they actually mean "fresh" (not spoiled) rather than "look" fresh?

The article used the word "deadly" twice in describing carbon monoxide... technically it is but we're not talking about chlorine or nerve gas.
I get the feeling that the reader (me) is being manipulated.

It was a good subject, I'd never heard of that before!

It has to be coffee in the morning.. twice, many years ago I had tea first thing (I was at my sisters) and it didn't sit well with my body.
I'm in Melbourne Florida this morning, it's 51, so the coffee will be inside!

I would like to take this opportunity to wish you Mr Hermit and all my fellow readers a Happy Tuesday!

JO said...

I lived next door to someone who raised beef so I knew what color real fresh beef looked like also venison. But I didn't know about how they keep it so red.

I'll stay with coffee please.

HermitJim said...

Hey Mamahen...
I think you are correct about the inside being the best part, but who really knows?
Thanks for stopping by today!


Hey Momlady...
Many times we are habit driven shoppers, I'm afraid. Buying meat by it's color is pretty much habit.
Thanks for coming over today!


Hey Linda...
Probably a lot better for ya. At least I would hope so.
Thanks for the visit today!


Hey Rob...
Surly they meant looks fresh and not actually fresh. That's my guess anyway.
Thanks for stopping by this morning!


Hey Jo...
Having that knowledge is a good thing, sweetie.
Thanks for dropping by today!