[Lee Stewart]

From soda can tabs to the tiny tables that hold up our pizza boxes, the world is filled with little technologies that make our lives easier. Take, for example, the humble packaging used to hold meat at the grocery store. It may appear to just be a styrofoam shell and plastic wrap, but if you look closer, you'll notice another vital component. Under the ground beef or chicken breast lies a thin, absorbent pad that actually serves a few key functions when it comes to food safety.

The aim of this thin pad, which for better or worse is also known as a meat diaper, is to keep the meat safe. When raw meat sits around, it can expel liquid which may appear red, but this is natural and not a cause for concern. What is concerning is that the liquid can be filled with dangerous bacteria. If the meat stays in this liquid for too long, it can create more bacteria, so the meat diaper absorbs the liquid to keep everything fresh for longer.