PSE meat, short for pale, soft, exudative, is a quality defect in which the flesh is lighter than normal, mushy in texture, and weeps fluid. It arises when animals suffer acute stress or excitement immediately before slaughter: struggling depletes muscle glycogen, and after death the pH falls abnormally fast while the carcass is still warm, denaturing proteins and wrecking their water-holding capacity. Pork is the classic victim, though poultry can be affected. PSE meat looks unappetising, loses weight as drip, and gives poor yields in processed products like hams and sausages. Prevention centres on calm handling, adequate rest in lairage, suitable genetics, and rapid, effective chilling. It is the mirror image of DFD, dark, firm, dry meat from chronic pre-slaughter stress.