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What is the usual color of raw poultry? |
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Raw poultry can vary from a bluish-white
to faint yellow. All of these colors
are normal and are a direct result
of breed, exercise, age, and/or
diet. Younger poultry has less fat
under the skin, which can cause
the bluish cast.
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Does a change in color indicate
spoilage? |
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Change in color alone does not mean
the product is spoiled. Color changes
are normal for fresh product. With
spoilage there can be a change in
color -- often a fading or darkening.
In addition to the color change,
the poultry will have an off odor,
be sticky or tacky to the touch,
or it may be slimy. If poultry has
developed these characteristics,
it should not be used.
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If the color of poultry changes
while frozen, is it safe? |
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Color changes, while poultry are
frozen, occur just as they do in
the refrigerator. Fading and darkening,
for example, do not affect their
safety. These changes are minimized
by using freezer-type wrapping and
by expelling as much air as possible
from the package.
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What color and temperature is safely
cooked poultry? |
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Safely cooked poultry can vary in
color from white to pink to tan.
Check the temperature in several
locations, being sure to include
the wing joint. All the meat—including
any that remains pink—is safe to
eat as soon as all parts reach at
least 75° C.
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What causes dark bones in cooked poultry? |
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Darkening
of bones and meat around the bones
occurs primarily in young (6-8 weeks)
broiler-fryer chickens. Since the
bones have not calcified or hardened
completely, pigment from the bone
marrow seeps through the bones and
into the surrounding area. Freezing
can also contribute to this darkening.
The poultry is safe to eat when all
parts have reached at least 75 ° C. |
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Why is some cooked poultry pink? |
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Chemical changes occur during cooking.
Oven gases in a heated gas or electric
oven react chemically with hemoglobin
in the meat tissues to give it a
pink tinge. Often meat of younger
birds shows the most pink because
their thinner skins permit oven
gases to reach the flesh. Older
animals have a fat layer under their
skin, giving the flesh added protection
from the gases. Older poultry may
be pink in spots where fat is absent
from the skin.
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