Normal color of Primal?

[krysta]

Today I tried Primal for the first time.  I got a "starter pak" which had 3 nuggets each of Pheasant, Beef and Salmon, Chicken and Salmon, and Quail.  I tried the Pheasant first.  They were nicely vacuum sealed and everything, but they had such a gray color to them, especially the outsides.  Once thawed, I cut them up and the insides were a little pinker but not much.  They smelled ok, not like vinegar.  My guys ate them readily.  I was just wondering if it was normal for them to be this color?  I'm used to Nature's Variety, which also looks a little grayish, but not this much.

*****Oops, I thought I had posted this under the Raw Feeding, realized afterward I had not.  Please move this thread!

 

[mschauer]

Meat will turn that grayish color when it is exposed to air. That's pretty common with the raw foods sold in "nugget" form. Also Primal uses HPP pasteurization on their poultry products. That process seems to accelerate the color change. It's all fine to use though.

Personally I prefer meat to be nice and red as an indication it is fresh. Meat with a grayish color is still fine to feed though as long as it doesn't smell funky.

 

[mrsgreenjeens]

Yes, my cats all like Primal, and the outside always seems to be grayish.  But I mix a couple of "flavors" for my pickies, and so after stirring them together, the gray is gone.  (plus I mix in  digestive enzymes and probiotics, along with a little water, since they always seem dry to me)