Why Is There Red Liquid in Your Roast Beef Package? The Answer Is Much Simpler Than It Looks

This is one reason it is not a good idea to leave an opened package of sliced roast beef in the refrigerator indefinitely.

Once the package is opened, the product is exposed to air, hands, utensils and other surfaces. Good hygiene and proper storage therefore become especially important.

So, what should you do with the red liquid?

In most cases, it can simply be absorbed with a paper towel or carefully discarded along with the packaging. Its presence does not automatically mean that the meat is unsafe.

However, there are situations when you should be more cautious.

If the product has a strong or unpleasant smell, if the surface is unusually sticky or slimy, if the package is damaged or if the product has been stored improperly, do not rely on color alone. When in doubt, the safest option is to discard the product. The FDA also warns that foods can sometimes contain harmful microorganisms without necessarily looking, smelling or tasting spoiled.

That leads to an important lesson: the absence of a bad smell is not an absolute guarantee that food is safe.

The same principle applies to expiration or use-by dates. You should not assume that food is safe simply because it looks normal.

There is another interesting reason meat can appear redder or darker at different times.

Oxygen.

When meat is exposed to air, chemical changes involving myoglobin can alter its color. With little oxygen, meat may appear purplish-red. After exposure to oxygen, it can become brighter red, and over time it may develop a brownish color. The USDA notes that color changes alone do not prove that meat has spoiled.

That is why it is completely possible for two pieces of meat from the same product to look slightly different.

It does not necessarily mean that one is good and the other is spoiled.

With cooked roast beef, there is another factor to consider — the way it was prepared. Some products are cooked in a way that allows them to retain a pink or reddish appearance in the center. This can be part of the normal appearance of the product and should not automatically be interpreted as proof that the meat is raw.

If you are cooking raw beef at home, however, food safety should be determined using an appropriate internal temperature rather than color alone. The FDA recommends 145°F (63°C) for whole cuts of beef such as steaks and roasts, followed by a three-minute rest, while ground beef should reach 160°F (71°C).

This is especially important because color cannot reliably tell you whether potentially harmful microorganisms have been destroyed.

If someone in your household is pregnant, elderly or has a weakened immune system, extra care should be taken with ready-to-eat deli meats. The FDA recommends that people in higher-risk groups heat deli meats until they are steaming hot to reduce the risk of foodborne infections.

This does not mean that every package of roast beef is dangerous. It means that certain people are more vulnerable to particular foodborne infections and should take additional precautions.

The next time you open a package of roast beef and notice reddish liquid, don’t immediately throw it away simply because of the color.

Look at the whole picture.

The reddish liquid is generally associated with the natural moisture of the meat and pigments such as myoglobin, rather than blood.

But if there is an unpleasant odor, a slimy texture, a suspicious appearance, damaged packaging or evidence of improper storage, do not take unnecessary risks.