SUMMARY:A spectroreflectometric technique was used to determine the relative percentages of three myoglobin pigments, reduced myoglobin, oxymyoglobin and metmyoglobin at the surface of fresh beef. It was shown that, at constant humidity, the formation of metmyoglobin in beef was maximal at 6 + 3 mm Hg of oxygen at 0°C and 7.5 ± 3 mm Hg at 7°C for semitendinosus muscles. Carbon dioxide concentrations of 10% and higher had negligible effect on the formation of metmyoglobin, provided the oxygen pressure was above about 5%. At high partial pressures of carbon dioxide, absorption of carbon dioxide increased and the pH of the surface decreased. In air, the formation of metmyoglobin varied widely from muscle to musc