I have heard that supermarkets routinely treat beef with some solution that
gives them a "fresh" color.

Is this correct? What is it?

Ray said...

> I have heard that supermarkets routinely treat beef with some solution
> that gives them a "fresh" color.
>
> Is this correct? What is it?


Ray,

Don't know about food coloring, but supermarkets do use special artificial
lights (infrared?) at the meat cases to give meats a redder color. Take a
package of meat and walk into one of the aisles and give it another look.

Andy

"Ray" > wrote

>I have heard that supermarkets routinely treat beef with some solution that
>gives them a "fresh" color.
>
> Is this correct? What is it?

I think you're referring to those meat packages that have carbon
monoxide pumped into them. You've probably noticed them,
especially ground meats.

nancy

In article <vRugh.9550$Li6.5410@trndny03>,
"Ray" > wrote:

> I have heard that supermarkets routinely treat beef with some solution that
> gives them a "fresh" color.
>
> Is this correct? What is it?

Carbon monoxide from what I've read recently.
--
Peace, Om

Remove _ to validate e-mails.

"My mother never saw the irony in calling me a Son of a bitch" -- Jack Nicholson

I think that it's probably sodium sulfite. Used by butchers to keep meat
from going brown in the display case, also in sausages etc.



"Omelet" > wrote in message
news
> In article <vRugh.9550$Li6.5410@trndny03>,
> "Ray" > wrote:
>
> > I have heard that supermarkets routinely treat beef with some solution
that
> > gives them a "fresh" color.
> >
> > Is this correct? What is it?
>
> Carbon monoxide from what I've read recently.
> --
> Peace, Om
>
> Remove _ to validate e-mails.
>
> "My mother never saw the irony in calling me a Son of a bitch" -- Jack
Nicholson

ERROR:

Butchers use sodium nitrate and less often potassium nitrate thats harder to
dose.

[ Making Sausages at Home, Sonoma Mountain Sausages,
http://home.pacbell.net/lpoli/index.htm ]

Sorry, Jack Kennedy


"Jack Kennedy" > wrote in message
...
> I think that it's probably sodium sulfite. Used by butchers to keep meat
> from going brown in the display case, also in sausages etc.
>
>
>
> "Omelet" > wrote in message
> news
> > In article <vRugh.9550$Li6.5410@trndny03>,
> > "Ray" > wrote:
> >
> > > I have heard that supermarkets routinely treat beef with some solution
> that
> > > gives them a "fresh" color.
> > >
> > > Is this correct? What is it?
> >
> > Carbon monoxide from what I've read recently.
> > --
> > Peace, Om
> >
> > Remove _ to validate e-mails.
> >
> > "My mother never saw the irony in calling me a Son of a bitch" -- Jack
> Nicholson
>
>

In article >,
says...
> In article <vRugh.9550$Li6.5410@trndny03>,
> "Ray" > wrote:
>
> > I have heard that supermarkets routinely treat beef with some solution that
> > gives them a "fresh" color.
> >
> > Is this correct? What is it?
>
> Carbon monoxide from what I've read recently.
>
To the extent that it's used, carbon monoxide seems to be used mainly by
factory meat packers who ship their product in sealed packages that will
keep the gas in and air out until the package is opened. Supermarkets
probably use some other chemical rinse, as another posting suggested.

I believe there's also special lighting available for meat display cases
to make the cuts look inviting. Next they'll be handing out rose-
colored glasses as you enter the meat section...

Bob