When buying meat, here are some guidelines to follow to ensure that you are getting good meat, and not something that is about to go bad if not already bad. Yes, I have experienced finding in stores discolored meat that should not have been on the shelf. Were people still picking up the packages contemplating to buy it? You bet!

So keep this list as your criteria for acceptable:
Beef Color: bright cherry red
Lamb Color: light red
Pork Color: pink lean meat, white fat
Texture Color: firm and springs back when touched

Do not accept or buy if it is:
Color: brown or greenish in color, brown, has green or purple blotches or
white or green spots
Texture: slimy, sticky or dry
Packaging: broken cartons, dirty wrappers or torn packaging
Odor: sour odor