During cooking, many people may have encountered a situation where, while slicing beef or pork, they noticed a rainbow-like reflection on the surface of the meat. When seeing this, many might question whether the meat is spoiled or contaminated with metal, assuming that such a strange color could only result from such issues.

Why does the meat have a rainbow reflection when sliced?

This is a natural light refraction phenomenon, occurring when light interacts with the fat and iron on the meat’s surface, causing the light rays to bend and create a rainbow effect.

Dr. Thomas Powel, executive director of the American Meat Science Association, also explained the rainbow effect on sliced meat. According to Dr. Powel, when slicing the meat thinly against the grain, the muscle fibers are cut across, and when exposed to the right level of moisture, the meat takes on a shiny appearance like this.

Is it safe to use meat with a rainbow reflection?

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) also confirms that this rainbow effect can appear not only in beef but also in other meats such as pork, fish, bacon, and ham when certain components in the meat reflect light due to heat exposure.

Therefore, there is no need to worry when you see a rainbow reflection on a piece of meat. It can still be used as usual as long as there are no other signs of spoilage, such as a sour smell or poor meat quality, etc.

As a result, consumers should carefully observe and evaluate food products when choosing to ensure they purchase high-quality and safe items.