In order to buy a meat that is both good for consumption and of good quality, it should be observed that meat follows a few principles or standards that are easy to observe but that meat can be bought and is safe to eat:
1. Check Color
The flesh must be red and never gray, greenish or blue. These are signs that the flesh is getting spoiled;
2. Observe the Temperature
The meat must be stored in a refrigerator with a controlled temperature between 0 and 3 degrees to ensure that the meat does not spoil, even if it is within the expiry date stated on the package. This temperature must be visible on the market display thermometer.
3. Evaluate the Texture
When you press with your finger, the meat should return to the initial state quickly, fading the finger mark. Viscous textures are also undesirable and indicate poor meat for consumption;
4. Smell the Smell
The meat should not smell strongly. Any unpleasant aroma may indicate that the meat is already spoiling and should not be consumed.
In the case of ground beef, to ensure that it is not mixed with other ingredients such as bones, fats and even cardboard, it is best to observe the meat being ground at the time of purchase. Products such as sausage, hamburger or sausage, where lower quality ingredients are used, are important to ensure that they are consumed within the shelf life, observing the same principles for choosing the meat.
How to store meat at home
At home the meat should be kept in the refrigerator, on the top shelf for a maximum of 2 or 3 days and in the freezer for an average term of around 4 months. Draining the water from the carton before storing helps ensure that the meat remains good for consumption and tasty.
Another important tip is that the meat, both chilled and processed, should be purchased last in the supermarket and should be the first to be stored in the refrigerator or back to the freezer to ensure there is no temperature variation that can speed up the process. putrefaction.
How to prepare meat while maintaining its nutritional value
Before preparing the frozen meat the best method is to thaw in the refrigerator overnight, for example. But in the case of processed and processed foods such as sausage, hamburger, sausage in general and even meat that has already been ground, in addition to always checking the date and expiry date, which is on the bottom or the lid of the package, it is indispensable to read the ingredients of these foods.
In the case of chicken, the signs that must be observed are the same as those used for the meat, observing a pink and whole meat that does not yield to the pressure of the finger and also is not viscous nor does it smell unpleasant, since it can be kept in the refrigerator by 3 to 4 days, one day longer than red meat on average.