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I think there is a bit of a misunderstanding, Virginia, though it is a very common one. The pink colour is not from blood cells. Food manufacturers do not use blood cells to make meat look pink. They are not allowed to, and they don't need to.

The pink color of meat comes from myoglobin, a protein that stores oxygen in muscle cells.

When meat is cut and exposed to oxygen, the myoglobin reacts, creating the bright red color we associate with fresh meat. As meat ages the myoglobin can undergo chemical reactions that lead to browning or other color variations.

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Dr. Lutz Kraushaar
Dr. Lutz Kraushaar

Written by Dr. Lutz Kraushaar

PhD in Health Sciences, MSc. Exrx & Nutrition, International Author, Researcher in decelerating biological aging. Keynote Speaker and Consultant.

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