How To Tell If Your Steak Has An Abscess - And What To Do If It Does - Tasting Table

"An abscess is a pocket of infection - a walled-off mass of pus made up of dead tissue, bacteria, and immune cells," says Dr. Heath."

"The Food Safety and Inspection Service confirms these abscesses are often caused by "high-energy cereal diets" and unsanitary conditions."

""Off smells, discoloration, or fluid pockets are always reasons to play it safe," she says."

Abscesses in beef are pockets of infection composed of pus, dead tissue, bacteria, and immune cells. They commonly arise from high-energy cereal diets and unsanitary rearing conditions. Meat inspectors are trained to identify and remove abscesses before sale, but inspection systems can fail and infected cuts can reach consumers. Any beef containing an abscess should be discarded immediately because the surrounding tissue may be contaminated; attempting to cut out the lesion is not recommended. Abscesses feel firm and fibrous and may contain white, yellow, or green pus. Off smells, discoloration, or fluid pockets are reasons to discard the meat. Infected portions should not be fed to pets.

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