Why does hamburger meat turn brown in fridge

It's simple really: Once exposed to oxygen, ground beef will turn brown, and that is perfectly normal via The Takeout. This is similar to what happens to apples, avocadoes, and eggplants when they get a whiff or two of fresh air. Janeal Wyn Yancey, a meat scientist at the University Of Arkansas, told The Takeout that this is due to a protein in the meat called myoglobin that, when exposed to oxygen, chemically changes its shape, and subsequently changes how light reflects off it.

That answer as to whether or not you can eat ground beef that has turned brown is not a straight forward "yes" or "no. If it is just a color change, you are probably good to go ahead and cook the ground beef.

However, the first thing you should do is check out the use-by date. If this date hasn't passed, you are probably okay to eat it. What if you are still not sure? Then take a sniff. Did you make this recipe? Leave a review.

Method 2. If you plan to cook the beef soon, store it in your refrigerator. Beef left out at room temperature will start to harbor harmful bacteria colonies within 2 hours. Cook the beef within 2 days of the sell-by date. If the beef has been in a refrigerator the whole time, it will stay fresh and safe to use up to 2 days after the date listed on the packaging.

Keep raw beef in the freezer for up to 4 months. Keep the beef in freezer-safe plastic bags and label them with the sell-by date listed on the packaging.

Squeeze all the air out of the bag before sealing it to conserve freezer space. These areas can be cut off if there are only a few. Otherwise, throw the meat away. Thaw the beef in the fridge or in a sink filled with cold water. Transfer the frozen beef to the fridge 1 to 2 days before you plan to use it so it has time to completely thaw. If you want to thaw the meat in the sink, fill your sink with cold water and submerge the beef.

Never leave the meat to thaw at room temperature. The only way to kill the natural bacteria in your beef is to cook it entirely. Store cooked ground beef in the refrigerator or freezer.

Cooked ground beef can be safely stored in the fridge for 7 days before it starts to spoil. It can also be stored for up to 8 months in the freezer. Be sure to store it in an air-tight container! Froze 2lbs of ground beef on 3rd day of refrigeration. It turned dark brown when thawed in fridge. Is it bad? Check the smell and texture of your ground beef. It does change color as it gets older, but if it doesn't smell or feel slimy, it should still be okay.

Not Helpful 6 Helpful Throw it away if you aren't sure when the sell-by date was. It may have gone bad. Not Helpful 4 Helpful Is my ground beef safe to eat the next day if I defrosted it in the package in water all day and put it in the refrigerator for overnight? Ground beef should be cooked immediately after you thaw it in water.

Otherwise, bacteria could form. Not Helpful 2 Helpful I packed my hamburgers in separate freezer bags and left them on the counter for 6 hours in 74 degree weather. Can I freeze them now? You shouldn't refreeze them since they probably developed bacteria while they were thawing at room temperature.

Always thaw your beef in the fridge or in a sink with cold water. Not Helpful 6 Helpful 8. The longer you keep food in the freezer, the more likely it is to develop freezer spots that could attribute to the flavor.

Not Helpful 3 Helpful 9. Is it safe to cook and eat beef that has turned brown? It has been frozen and thawed. Meat will turn brown over time. Check to see if it smells or has a slimy texture. When in doubt, throw the beef away. It is only good to use up to 2 days after the sell-by date if it's been in your fridge. Not Helpful 4 Helpful 7. I bought 5 lbs. Sour tasting, strange clear colored juice came out when frying.

What happened? Ground beef may change color due to multiple factors, including temperature, light, microbial growth, and exposure to oxygen 4. Fresh, raw ground beef should be red due to its levels of oxymyoglobin — a pigment formed when a protein called myoglobin reacts with oxygen 3.

The interior of raw ground meat may be greyish brown due to a lack of exposure to oxygen. Additionally, mold can spoil cooked ground beef, so you should toss your leftovers if you notice any fuzzy blue, grey, or green spots 5.

Raw ground beef should be bright red on the outside and brownish on the inside. If its surface has turned thoroughly brown or gray or grown mold, it has gone bad and should be discarded. Fresh ground beef should have a relatively firm consistency that breaks apart when you squeeze it.

However, a sticky or slimy texture — either when cooked or raw — may indicate the presence of spoilage bacteria. You should toss it immediately To avoid spreading bacteria from one surface to another, wash your hands thoroughly after touching raw meat.

If your ground beef has a sticky or slimy texture when raw or cooked, it has most likely gone bad. This test is probably the easiest and fastest way to determine whether meat has spoiled. It applies to both raw and cooked ground beef. Though the scent of fresh ground beef is barely perceptible, rancid meat has a tangy, putrid odor. The scent changes due to the increased growth of spoilage bacteria, such as Lactobacillus spp.

Sell-by and expiration dates are additional guidelines for determining whether your ground beef is good 7. A sell-by date tells the retailer how long a product can be displayed for sale.

Ground beef can be refrigerated and safely eaten up to 2 days past this date 3 , 6. Food will have the best taste and quality before this date.

Be sure to carefully read the product label when buying ground beef. Sell-by and expiration dates tell you the best time to eat ground beef. Freezing can further extend its shelf life. Spoiled ground beef is dangerous to eat because it may contain pathogenic bacteria, which are responsible for foodborne illnesses.

Symptoms include fever, vomiting, stomach cramps , and diarrhea — which may be bloody 9 , 10 ,