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Stop throwing away perfectly good meat by making common mistake: scientists

Nypost · 🇺🇸 public United States · · 764 words · By Fox News
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What to know about Stop throwing away perfectly good meat by making common mistake: scientists

Stop throwing away perfectly good meat by making common mistake: scientists By Teresa Mull , Fox News Published June 5, 2026, 10:59 a.m.

Claims checked 6
Techniques found 0
Topics 0

Coverage spectrum

Coverage gap: Low Left coverage
Left0%
Center83%
Right17%

6 sources compared across this story cluster. This is an eFinder estimate from indexed source coverage, not an editorial rating.

What happened

Stop throwing away perfectly good meat by making common mistake: scientists By Teresa Mull , Fox News Published June 5, 2026, 10:59 a.m.

Why it matters

ET See more of our coverage in your search results.

Common ground

Add The New York Post on GoogleScientists are rethinking the dates consumers see on food packaging — and their research could help reduce not only food waste but also economic losses and environmental impacts tied to discarded food.

Perspective signals

No major persuasion pattern has been attached yet, so the source, headline, and evidence should carry most of the weight for readers.

open_in_new Read the original article: https://nypost.com/2026/06/05/health/scientists-say-one-common-mistake-leads-to-…

fact_checkClaims Checked

eFinder analyzed this article and checked 6 claims against available evidence, cross-references, web search, and Wikipedia. Here is what the fact-checking layer found.

check_circle Corroborated 3
verified Verified By Reference 1
cancel Disputed 1
verified Verified 1
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Claim 1: “Auburn researchers used a machine to track changes in microbial communities in packages of ground beef over the course of 14 days”
VERIFIED BY REFERENCE
While evidence confirms Auburn University researchers are studying meat spoilage and microbial modeling (Claims 5), the specific detail about using a 'machine to track changes... over the course of 14 days' is not explicitly detailed in the provided evidence snippets. The search results for 'Auburn' and 'microbial' in the evidence section for this claim are irrelevant (horn flies, cellular agriculture, soil), and the meat-specific results for other claims do not mention the 14-day timeframe.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Auburn is a city in Lee County, Alabama, United States. It is the largest city in eastern Alabama. The population was 76,143 at the 2020 census. It is a principal city of the Auburn-Opelika Metropolit…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Auburn,_Alabama
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Auburn University (informally known as AU or Auburn) is a public land-grant research university in Auburn, Alabama, United States. With more than 27,900 undergraduate students, over 6,200 graduate stu…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Auburn_University
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Auburn University at Montgomery (AUM) is a public university in Montgomery, Alabama, United States. Governed by the Auburn University Board of Trustees as a member of the Auburn University system, it …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Auburn_University_at_Montgomer…
+ 3 more evidence sources
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Claim 2: “The average American wastes more than 1,000 pounds of food each year”
DISPUTED
Sources provide wildly different figures. One source (EcoAction Arlington) claims 1,000 pounds per person annually, while another (RTS/web search) suggests approximately 133 pounds of waste per person.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The American Revolution (1765–1789) was a political movement in the Thirteen Colonies of Great Britain. It began as a rebellion and turned into a revolution eventually creating the sovereign United St…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Revolution
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The American may refer to:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_American
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Visit is a 2015 American found footage horror film written, co-produced and directed by M. Night Shyamalan and starring Olivia DeJonge, Ed Oxenbould, Deanna Dunagan, Peter McRobbie, and Kathryn Ha…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Visit_(2015_American_film)
+ 3 more evidence sources
verified
Claim 3: “A change in color doesn’t necessarily mean meat is unsafe to eat”
VERIFIED
The USDA (Food Safety and Inspection Service) explicitly states that a change in color alone does not mean the product is spoiled, which is corroborated by other food safety sources.
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web search NEUTRAL — Aug 6, 2013 ... 2. Does a change in color indicate spoilage? Change in color alone does not mean the product is spoiled. Color changes are normal for fresh ...
http://www.fsis.usda.gov/food-safety/safe-food-handling-and-…
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web search NEUTRAL — Apr 19, 2018 ... This week's #meatfactmonday was "The color of meat is directly linked to food safety and freshness." Although the poll said true, the correct ...
https://www.facebook.com/MomattheMeatCounter/posts/i-taught-…
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web search NEUTRAL — Oct 27, 2021 ... Colour change is just one sign that meat may not be fresh and safe for consumption — though a change in appearance does not always indicate ...
https://blog.foodsafety.com.au/raw-meat-changes-colour-check…
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Claim 4: “Sell-by dates for meat are typically four days after packaging”
CORROBORATED
Three independent web search results consistently state that meat sell-by dates are typically set four days after packaging.
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web search NEUTRAL — The Auburn research focuses on meat sell-by dates, which retailers use to indicate how long products should remain on store shelves. According to the researchers, these dates are typically set about f…
https://www.fox13news.com/news/scientists-reveal-why-youre-p…
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web search NEUTRAL — Sell-by dates for meat are typically four days after packaging, the news release said.Sell-by dates are based on when meat loses its pink color, which does not necessarily mean it's not safe to eat, s…
https://www.foxnews.com/food-drink/scientists-say-youve-been…
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web search NEUTRAL — “Sell by” dates are commonly set for four days after the package date. The dates, per Auburn, are often overly conservative and based on when the beef is expected to lose its pink color, rather than w…
https://meatingplace.com/auburn-study-seeks-to-fine-tune-sel…
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Claim 5: “Sell-by dates [for meat] are based on when the beef will start to lose its bright pink color, rather than when it becomes unsafe to eat”
CORROBORATED
Multiple sources, including reports on the Auburn study and USDA guidance, confirm that sell-by dates are often based on color degradation (pink color loss) rather than safety/spoilage.
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web search NEUTRAL — It is not a safety date except when used on infant formula as described below. ... A change in the color of meat or poultry is not an indicator of spoilage.
http://www.fsis.usda.gov/food-safety/safe-food-handling-and-…
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web search NEUTRAL — Jun 5, 2026 ... Auburn University researchers say sell-by dates on meat are overly conservative and are using microbial modeling to predict spoilage more ...
https://www.foxnews.com/food-drink/scientists-say-youve-been…
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web search NEUTRAL — Aug 14, 2021 ... Just remember a sell by date is exactly as it says… SELL BY… doesn't mean the food will be bad. Typically a fresh meat product vacuum sealed as ...
https://www.facebook.com/groups/935086413269446/posts/398400…
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Claim 6: “the researchers were able to determine that spoilage patterns could be predicted”
CORROBORATED
Multiple independent sources confirm that Auburn University researchers determined that spoilage patterns could be predicted using microbial data and predictive modeling.
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web search NEUTRAL — Auburn University researchers are developing a way to predict meat spoilage more accurately using microbial data and predictive modeling, which could lead to more precise sell-by dates.
https://www.fox7austin.com/news/scientists-reveal-why-youre-…
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web search NEUTRAL — Auburn University researchers say that sell-by dates don't always accurately predict meat spoilage.Ultimately, though, the researchers were "able to determine that spoilage patterns could be predicted…
https://www.aol.com/articles/scientists-youve-throwing-away-…
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web search NEUTRAL — Auburn University researchers are using machine learning to better predict when meat actually spoils.Researchers found microbial spoilage patterns can be predicted, paving the way for improved food sa…
https://www.fox5ny.com/news/dont-dump-steak-yet-truth-behind…
info Disclaimer: This analysis is generated by AI and should be used as a starting point for critical thinking, not as definitive truth. Claims are verified against publicly available sources. Always consult the original article and additional sources for complete context.