Yes, Sometimes Meat Glows In The Dark

GREG KELEBONYE
Staff Writer | Monday July 26, 2010 00:00

A 2005 BBC news bulletin tells of how Australians were alarmed by reports of glowing meat, and as with the Molepolole case, there were fears of radioactive contamination. At that time The New South Wales Food Authority assured the population the glow was caused by harmless Pseudomonas fluorescens a harmless type of bacteria. He said he understood people would be 'shocked' to see their meat glowing in the fridge but said the bacteria were safe.

'It is important to remember that the micro organism responsible for the glow is not known to cause food poisoning,' George Davey,  head of the Food Authority in Sidney said then.

Pseudomonas fluorescens bacteria are naturally present in meat and fish but they multiply quickly if food is not stored at the correct temperature.

The glowing can be a sign that the food is starting to go off and it should be thrown away.'Meat surfaces glow in the dark or in refrigerators.

The glow may vary from white and clear to bluish green. The glow may resemble studded stars on meat surfaces. Certain bacteria have the power to produce light and are known as photobacteria. A common type is Pseudomonas phosphorescens and is widely distributed in nature.

The presence of phosphorescence on meat is not in itself injurious to the consumer although it may be an indication of unsanitary conditions requiring attention such as cleaning a refrigerator or carrying out clean handling techniques.

The storing of fish in the same chiller may contribute to phosphorescence development.The meat surface can be trimmed. However as the bacteria causing the glow will fade as the meat deteriorates, the meat may need to be assessed to determine if it is safe and suitable to eat,' notes the website of the Government of Western Australia's Public Health Department.

In fact there are many undocumented stories of glowing meat: Efforts to get a comment from Botswana's Consumer Division failed as the relevant people were not available.