If you’re working in the kitchen, you’re likely to hear something about the juice from packaged meat. Most of us have been taught that it is blood. Not so! But we still need to handle it with care.
The liquid which can sometimes be found at the bottom of a meat package is what meat scientists call “purge,” is a combination of water and meat proteins that drain from meat. One of those proteins, water-soluble myoglobin, is the key reason for the meat’s red color, which is why the water is also red or dark pink.
Source: North American Meat Institute. Link.
Liquid in a meat package should be handled carefully just like the meat itself. Purge in a meat container can carry the same bacteria as a raw piece of meat so it should be handled with care. Wash your hands after touching meat or “purge,” don’t consume it unless it has been cooked to a proper temperature, and try to contain it carefully to prevent cross contamination.