SUMMARY: 2‐Thiobarbituric acid (TBA) values of raw pork were determined by distillation and extraction methods and those of raw beef were determined by the latter method during storage at 4° and –20°C. TBA values of these tissues were low compared to values usually reported for cooked tissue from these animals in similar environments. There were significant animal differences in TBA values of beef and pork; there were significant changes in TBA values of these tissues during storage at 4°C, but changes during storage at –20°C were insignificant. pH and TBA values were inversely related. Mathematical relationships between TBA values of pork and beef during storage at 4°C. between TBA values and pH and between results obtained by the two procedures for determining TBA values of pork during storage are discussed. The extraction method is an acceptable method for determining TBA values and is easier to use than the distillation method. The TBA test has limited use for meat samples that have been frozen.