This paper overviewed the current literature on strategies to improve beef color and attempted to logically
explain the fundamental mechanisms involved. Surface color and its stability are critical traits governing the marketability of fresh beef when sold, whereas internal cooked color is utilized as an indicator for doneness at the
point of consumption. A multitude of exogenous and endogenous factors interact with the redox biochemistry
of myoglobin in post-mortem skeletal muscles. The scientific principles of these biomolecular interactions are
applied by the meat industry as interventions for pre-harvest (i.e. diet, animal management) and post-harvest
(i.e. packaging, aging, antioxidants) strategies to improve color stability in fresh and cooked beef. Current
research suggests that the effects of several of these strategies are specific to type of animal, feeding regimen,
packaging system, and muscle source. Meat scientists should explore novel ways to manipulate these factors
using a biosystems approach to achieve improved beef color stability, satisfy consumer perception, and increase
market profitability.