It’s a familiar moment at the deli counter: you peel back the plastic on a fresh pack of ham, only to see a shimmering rainbow across the slices. Bands of green, purple, and blue ripple over the pink surface, looking more like a chemical spill than lunch. For many, this dazzling display is enough to send the cold cuts straight to the trash.
But the science behind this phenomenon—called **iridescence—is far less alarming than it seems, as long as you can tell the difference between harmless optical effects and true spoilage.
