Grocery stores are one of the best places to get fresh meat. If they order too many meats from suppliers, there’s a probability that they won’t sell them out before the meat turn bad, and if too little quantity, they may not have enough to meet their customers’ demands. I understand you are concerned about your and your family’s health; hence why you need to know how grocery stores keep meat fresh. Let’s discuss. Grocery stores keep meat fresh by limiting human contact, cutting a significant portion they will sell and preserving it under regulated temperature for 10 to 14 days, using separate equipment for different meats, etc.
Different ways grocery stores keep meat fresh
Meat is one of the major commodities you will find in grocery stores and one of the food items that need close monitoring to preserve its freshness. Because of how easily bacteria can contaminate meat once it is cut or ground, most people prefer to freeze meats to prolong the shelf life; however, doing so will affect some of the nutrients over time and impact its taste. Your local grocery store understands this concept, which is why they have devised several ways to keep the meat fresh without having to freeze them all the time. Here are some ways they achieve this.
They limit human contact
Fresh meats can easily become contaminated with bacteria, and once this happens, it takes only a few days for the bacteria to spread and deteriorate the quality of the meat. As such, grocery stores limit human contact as much as possible by having some special staff responsible for cutting, grinding, treating, and packaging the meat. These staff always wear gloves when touching the meat and use standard measurements to cut the meat unless in cases where a customer requests for a custom cut or size.
They cut or grind what is needed at the time
The butchers and others cleared to handle meat only cut or grind the portion that is needed. If they need to add more steaks to the shelf, they will cut only the amount needed to fill up the shelf. You are wondering why right? Once you cut meat, the chances of it becoming contaminated and spoiling are high because of bacteria, which spreads easily and quickly. After cutting the meat, the grocery store will keep it fresh for about 10 to 14 days by cooling it, after which freeze it, at which state it can last for about 12 months but will lose its fresh taste and some nutrients over time.
They store the meat under controlled temperature
Grocery stores regulate their freezers’ temperature to keep the meat cool and reserve its freshness for about 14 days. During this time, the meat is not solidly frozen and the nutrients are still intact. The store has staff that monitors the freezers’ temperature daily at different points to ensure that it doesn’t go above or below the standard storage temperature.
They use different tools for different meats
From the butcher and meat handlers to the environment, tools, utensils, and everything the raw meat comes in contact with before being packaged, grocery stores ensure that good hygiene is maintained. In most cases, they use separate tools for different meats to avoid contamination. If they have to use the same tools for different meats, they ensure that the tools are cleaned and sanitized properly before use.
They use modified air packaging (MAP)
When packaging meat, there’s no way to stop natural air from entering. Natural air contains bacteria, which can contaminate and even change the bright red color of the meat to pale grey. To avoid this, grocery stores use the modified air packaging method to introduce carbon monoxide and other gases into the meat package to perverse the healthy red color for some weeks, at least. This method is also used for foods like crackers, potato chips, etc.
Are the use-by dates on meats in grocery stores usually correct?
We’ve heard of cases where some stores change the use-by dates on the meats they didn’t sell out even when they know that they shouldn’t be consumed anymore; nevertheless, most grocery stores ensure to keep by rules to remove ‘expired’ meats from the shelf and replace with fresh ones.
Unlike cereals which you can consume after the expiration date, consuming fresh meats that have gone beyond the use-by dates can cause food poising and other health-related issues.
Are grocery store meats safe?
While we can’t compare the freshness of meats bought directly from butchers to that sold in grocery stores, it’s normal to doubt the safety of the latter. To answer your question, Yes, grocery store meats are safe as long as they have not exceeded the use-by date. Before transporting them to grocery stores for sale, food inspectors examine their quality to ensure that they are safe for consumption.
Conclusion
Preserving meat’s freshness isn’t the easiest thing to do because of how easily it can get contaminated; nevertheless, many grocery stores have gotten a hang of it and ensure that their meats maintain their nutrients, texture, and natural taste to satisfy their customers’ demands and preserve their brands’ integrity.
FAQs
How long do grocery stores keep fresh meat?
Starting from when meat is cut, it is kept on the shelf for 10 to 14 days.
Is it cheaper to buy meat from a grocery store than from a butcher?
Yes, it is. Although you will get better quality without compromised taste or texture from a butcher’s shop when it comes to price, convenience, and availability, buying from a grocery store is better.
