During the past weekend, a photo of beef emitting a peculiar glow in the dark spread across social media, sparking widespread discussions among the population of Uzbekistan. This was reported by Upl.uz.
The initial report stated that this product was purchased from one of the large chain supermarkets in the capital. The incident was quickly covered by the "Potrebitel.uz" information portal, which monitors the quality of products and services in the country.
This news prompted numerous consumer reactions. Some shared their experiences, while others began to check the purchased meat using the lights of their mobile phones.
A representative of the retail chain announced that the situation has been taken under control. An internal investigation has begun, and samples of the suspicious product are planned to be sent to an independent laboratory.
This laboratory will conduct an examination to determine the causes of the unique appearance in the meat. Food safety experts emphasize that the phenomenon of bioluminescence does not always indicate that the product is spoiled.
The most common reason is the presence of Photobacterium phosphoreum microorganisms on the surface of the meat, which multiply and emit light when refrigeration conditions are violated. This process is mainly observed in fresh meat and disappears during the decay process.
The second reason cited is the phosphates added to the product. They retain moisture and may emit weak light under certain conditions.
The third option is an optical effect that occurs due to the refraction of light from the moisture on the meat's surface or the packaging material. Official bodies, including the consumer rights protection agency, are not providing an official comment until the laboratory results are released.
They state that final conclusions about the safety of the product can only be made based on a complete examination. An interesting fact is that during the American Civil War, some soldiers' wounds were observed to emit faint light in the dark.
This phenomenon was called the "Angel's Glow." In 2001, it was revealed that the bacterium Photorhabdus luminescens was responsible for this, producing antibiotic substances that eliminated dangerous microbes in the wounds and accelerated the healing process.
This case remains an interesting research topic in the fields of biology and medicine today
