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I always assumed it was some kind of bacterial product from early spoilage. Nice to learn!

I've definitely noticed it on meat that has gone off, and previously was not iridescent. I wonder if bacteria create surface gratings.

Maybe the effect can manifest when oils from the meat/fat and water separate similar to the effect with gas/oil? With this hypothesis the iridescence would be incidental to the meat having gone bad but more to do with age and not maintaining structural integrity/consistency.

"You eat with your eyes first" isn't just an expression. Glowing foods tend to be not good for us, like a bad lobster in a dark cellar.

> I wonder how much of that was due to primarily associating the visual effect with gasoline.

I thought, like the poster in the neighboring comment, that it could indicate early spoilage. Also with fish scales. I think fish scales are more disgusting than gasoline...