Meat coloring

Companies have begun treating their meat with nitrates and then packing & storing the product in a carbon monoxide atmosphere. The carbon monoxide gas in the package slows the discoloration of the meat. Unfortunately, this is a deceptive marketing practice as it only makes the meat look fresh. The meat still spoils normally. The artificially-induced pink color can remain in the meat for a very long time, up to one full year. Companies have been using this technique since early 2003.