At the point of sale, consumers often use the cherry-red color of beef as an indicator of wholesomeness and quality of the product. Meat discoloration, which mainly results from oxidative browning, leads to consumer rejection and huge economic loss for the beef industry.

Food waste affects every American consumer. The United States wastes more than 84 million tons of edible food a year, and meat contributes 22 percent of the total food loss (Dou et al., 2016). 

A greater concentration of oxymyoglobin in meat results in consumer-preferred, bright, cherry-red color of beef.