Beef has been in the news lately, mostly because of historically low supplies and questions the public has about recent imports.
On the first day of 2026, the U.S. cattle herd was at its smallest level in 75 years, as per NPR.
The Trump administration responded to the shortage by allowing more imported beef into the country, specifically beef trimmings from countries like Argentina, Uruguay, Australia, and New Zealand, but customers remain suspicious.
Soon after the White House announced this, rumors started milling about the quality, with some calling it “mystery meat” and even doubting that it comes from cows.
Recently, a San Antonio woman’s shopping trip to H-E-B sparked a conversation involving those exact claims.
In a photo content creator Suede (@suedecleans) posted to TikTok, which got over 34,800 views, she calls out the grocery store.
What Was Allegedly Wrong With The H-E-B Beef?
The photo shows beef cut into strips, with visible brown discoloration affecting some of them. Suede shared more details in the caption.
“I used to love HEB, but the meat is so FUNKY lately,” she wrote. “This beef smelled like cheese, and we threw out a pack of chicken that inflated overnight. There’s been a quality issue every [in-store] shopping trip and curbside orders too.”
She hinted she might be placing her loyalty elsewhere. “Aldi will be seeing more of me atp,” Suede concluded.
Why Does It Look Like That?
The browning alone shouldn’t necessarily be cause for concern, since sometimes it’s simply oxidation.
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) says beef can turn brownish-red when myoglobin oxidizes into metmyoglobin. However, if the beef also develops an off odor or feels slimy, USDA advises customers not to use it.
As for what this could be, a “cheesy” or unpleasant smell can point to microbial spoilage. This often happens because of improper sealing or storage temperatures.
Have Other H-E-B Customers Complained About The Beef?
There have been some other similar reports recently.
In an August Reddit thread in r/HEB, a self-described chef said both H-E-B and Central Market meat quality had been “absolute garbage lately” and that they had thrown out beef, chicken, and seafood before the expiration date because it smelled spoiled or rotten.
“It’s such a waste and actually makes me so sad because I truly hate food waste,” they wrote.
Another r/HEB user shared a similar complaint in June. The Hudson Oaks shopper said they had purchased meat close to its sell-by date three times within a few weeks and found it unusable.
“Twice I opened ground pork on the sell-by date, and the smell made me not want to even try using it,” they wrote. “Yesterday I opened a package of pork chops that was one day after the sell-by date, and they smelled rotten.”
Shoppers are also clearly anxious about where their beef is coming from.
In another r/HEB post, a user asked, “Where does HEB ground sirloin come from?”
“I tried to call the meat department but no one answered,” they added. “I hope this isn’t the Argentina beef. Can anyone tell me?”
Commenters Shared Their Own H-E-B Stories
“HEB milk has been going bad 7-10 days before the expiration date!” one commenter wrote.
Other shoppers also said there’s been a decline in quality.
“I’ve said this to my husband!!!” one commenter wrote. “The quality of meat has definitely gone down especially with the prices we are paying!! I haven’t eaten ground beef lately it seems to be mushy and has a flesh smell to it.”
“My friend and I been noticing this! I truly wonder if they’re mixing old and new meat in packs to make it stretch,” another added.
Another immediately blamed imported beef.
“It’s the Argentinian meat, steer clear of beef for a while. Sysco is buying it and sysco supplies a huge amount of businesses, including heb,” they wrote.
There is no evidence that the beef Suede bought came from Argentina or that Sysco supplied it to H-E-B.
H-E-B does, however, sell some imported beef, including products labeled as coming from Mexico.
Subplot News has reached out to H-E-B via email and Suede via TikTok messages for comment and more information.
