Blue/Purple meat stamps

[3DStudent]

I recently noticed some bright blue, almost cyan colored spots on some unrendered pork lard. I thought it was some kind of mold and it was all throughout, so I tossed it. I felt kind of dumb because the farmer called me maybe 30 minutes afterwards and explained it was probably a meat stamp. I got it pretty cheap though and was tired of dealing with it. But I learned something and am sharing this.

I did some internet searching and it seems that butchers will place a food grade stamp on meat cuts. Sometimes they don't take it off and you will have blue or purple spots in the meat from the dye. The dye is supposedly made of beets, but some brands keep it a "trade secret". The farmer said the spots in mine were most likely one of these stamps. So if you have alarming bright blue or purple spots, maybe give it a little more thought than it being mold and tossing it out.

 

[Renaissance]

I did some internet searching and it seems that butchers will place a food grade stamp on meat cuts.

As well as the grade, it's also the USDA's mark that the meat has been inspected by them and is legally for sale. I guess you could call it a "mark of the beast"

 

[MakeEmTalk]

Blueberry juice is commonly used, also.

 

[3DStudent]

Aw, phooey! Was I the only one who didn't know? :P I admit I was probably over stressing about it. It's kind of like one of those things where you think everyone else doesn't know it because you yourself don't know it. But I didn't find anything when searching "meat stamp".

Now that I think about it, I recall some months ago throwing away some summer sausage that had those same bright blue marks. I thought it was mold again. It's kind of visually unappetizing. But oh well, now I know.

"Mark of the Beast" lol. Both literal and figurative. :P

 

[MakeEmTalk]

Aw, phooey! Was I the only one who didn't know? :P I admit I was probably over stressing about it. It's kind of like one of those things where you think everyone else doesn't know it because you yourself don't know it. But I didn't find anything when searching "meat stamp".

Now that I think about it, I recall some months ago throwing away some summer sausage that had those same bright blue marks. I thought it was mold again. It's kind of visually unappetizing. But oh well, now I know.

"Mark of the Beast" lol. Both literal and figurative. :P

We're all learning, all the time... :)