Ever wonder what causes sliced deli meats to possess an iridescent sheen? A piece of meat is composed of strands of fibres tightly packed together. After meat is sliced, the cut ends of the fibres form a series of grooves. Each colour in white light has a specific wavelength. When white light hits the grooves, some of the light is absorbed and some of it is reflected. Each colour wave of the reflected light bends at a different angle depending on its frequency. The result of this spread of colour waves is a kaleidoscope or iridescent effect.