Opening a package of ground beef and finding a brown or grayish center can make you question whether the meat is still good. The outside may look bright red, while the middle appears noticeably darker after you bring it home. Fortunately, that color difference is often caused by something much simpler than spoilage. Oxygen changes the way the natural pigments in beef look, which can create different colors within the same package. Still, shoppers should know what is normal and what signs mean the meat should be discarded.
