Why is Bacon Pink and Pork White? Uncovering the Science Behind Meat Color

As any cook knows not all meat is created equal when it comes to color. Pork chops come out white or light pink, while bacon and ham have a distinctive dark pink hue. So what causes this meat color difference? It all comes down to chemistry.

Myoglobin Causes the Pink Color

The pink or red color in meat is caused by a protein called myoglobin. Myoglobin is found in muscle fibers and acts as an oxygen storage unit similar to hemoglobin in blood. The more myoglobin a muscle contains, the darker the meat.

Since muscles need oxygen to function, active muscles contain more myoglobin. Pork contains less myoglobin than beef or lamb. And certain pork cuts, like tenderloin or loin, are even lower. That’s why pork chops tend to look pale or white when cooked.

Ham and bacon come from heavily worked muscles, so they have much higher myoglobin content. That makes them appear dark pink or red.

Chemical Changes Create the Pink Color

In living muscle, myoglobin is purple. But after slaughter, chemical changes generate the familiar pink meat color. Here’s how it happens:

1. Oxygen-rich myoglobin is bright red. As oxygen diminishes after death, it turns darker red.

2. The lack of blood circulation causes myoglobin to lose its protein structure. This denatured, oxygen-depleted myoglobin is grayish or tan.

3. Heat from cooking denatures the myoglobin further, allowing the iron atom to become oxidized. This oxygenated iron atom bonds to other molecules, generating the pink color.

4. Cured meats like ham and bacon get their distinctive color from sodium nitrite. Nitrite enables myoglobin to retain a stable pink hue even when fully cooked.

Why Some Pork Stays White

Two main factors keep some pork cuts white or pale after cooking:

• Less myoglobin – Loin and tenderloin have less muscle activity, so they contain much lower amounts of myoglobin compared to ham or shoulder. Less myoglobin means less potential for pink color.

• Quick cooking – Super fast, high heat methods like grilling don’t give myoglobin time to denature and bond with other molecules to generate pinkness. The proteins stay denatured and gray.

So pork loin and chops stay white or pale because of the type of muscle and quick cooking. Roasting or braising would cause more pinkness.

Other Factors Affecting Meat Color

While myoglobin is the primary driver of meat color, other influences can come into play:

• pH – Higher pH (less acidic) causes more vivid pinkness. Pork pH is lower than beef.

• Water content – Dry meat surfaces appear paler. Moisture helps light reflect for a darker pink color.

• Fat content – More fat Cells buds myoglobin just under the surface. Pork is leaner than beef and lamb.

• Freshness – Myoglobin becomes lighter and less stable older. Spoiled meat turns grayish due to aurum denaturation.

• Feed – Pasture raised pork may have 15% more myoglobin than conventionally raised.

• Breed – Older breeds like Berkshire tend to have darker meat.

• Enhancers – Carbon monoxide can help stabilise and brighten pink color.