It happens quickest with ground beef because. It turns out that the innards of this meat was red. Color changes can also occur if raw meat is … But ground beef that’s not exposed to oxygen — like the meat that’s on the interior — will often lose its red color after a few days. Likewise, as ground beef is stored, even for as little as one day, it might also turn prematurely brown (USDA-ARS/FSIS, 1998). The pink color can be due to a reaction between the oven heat and myoglobin, which causes a red or pink color. Wait until your meatloaf is brown inside, and you may find it dry and overcooked. Q: Is it safe to use raw ground beef that is red on the outside but gray inside? Once it starts to grey, it's best to stay away. Prolonged exposure to air and light will also darken meat that starts out bright red, as you’ve probably seen when pre-formed hamburger patties start to turn gray, but are still red or pink inside. To be sure all harmful bacteria are destroyed, cook all ground beef products to an internal temperature of 160 °F throughout. There’s even a name for it: myoglobin, which is a protein responsible for the red coloring on the outside of the ground meat. 3 65 Super Easy Finger Foods to Make for Any Party From chips and dip to one-bite apps, finger foods are the perfect way to kick off a party. This is more than likely the case from the photo above. Bear in mind, this is a higher temperature than most rare or even medium-rare beef. A: It should be fine.Meat contains a pigment called myoglobin that turns bright red when exposed to oxygen. What I actually was searching for was a page telling me that red dye was inserted into meat, but I found some stuff about meat being packaged with CO or some such thing to keep the meat looking red, which does absolutely nothing for the freshness, and the meat is packaged in a way to either keep air out and the air … When ground beef is cooked, it changes color from red to pink to brown. The USDA now requires safe handling and cooking guideline information be affixed to all raw beef sold in the USA. This is also the reason why your ground beef from the store may be red on the outside but brown on the inside. If ground beef loses contact with the air, as with the inside of the package of ground beef, it will turn grayish-brown. Grocery stores typically cover ground beef with a plastic wrap that allows some oxygen to penetrate, so that the surface of the meat turns this appealing red color, which consumers … If you do detect an off odor or if the meat seems sticky or slimy, throw it away. Ground beef can be pink inside after it is safely cooked. That’s why meat turns a bright red color on the outside while the inside remains brown. Oxygen can’t readily make its way through or penetrate the ground beef so it begins to lose its red color on the inside after time. According to USDA guidelines, ground beef should be cooked to an internal temperature of 160 F. Use a meat thermometer to be sure. No forks or spoons required, just easy-to-pick-up party foods, so you can clean up in no time.Read More Fresh ground beef should always be bright red in color. When meat — or even poultry — is packaged, the meat on the outside is exposed to more oxygen. 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