Why Does Ground Beef Sometimes Turn Brown Before the Sell-By Date?

Hands in black gloves hold a cooked burger patty above a plate of freshly prepared patties. Understanding why ground beef sometimes turns brown before the sell-by date explains the science of oxidation and meat safety in the fridge. Pexels.

You bought a package of bright red ground beef yesterday, put it straight into the refrigerator, and now part of it looks brown or gray. Does that mean you’ve just wasted several dollars on spoiled meat?

Not necessarily.