Is this ground beef I just bought safe to eat?

[diwataaa]

It looked good at the store, nice and red, that is until I got it home and started making patties out of it. Then I saw areas where the meat was brown like it gets once you start to cook it. It smelled okay but I don't want to take any chances with it. What do you think? Does the brown meat indicate that it's going bad?

 

[horribLily]

It looked good at the store, nice and red, that is until I got it home and started making patties out of it. Then I saw areas where the meat was brown like it gets once you start to cook it. It smelled okay but I don't want to take any chances with it. What do you think? Does the brown meat indicate that it's going bad?

Ground beef can turn brown due to oxidation, but it's still safe if it smells fresh. Cook it to 160°F.