48 



Studies of Aeraiion Methods 



[Oct 



in normal muscle plasma occurs, in part, in the form of ammonio- 

 magnesium phosphate or may readily pass into that Compound ;'^ (D) 

 that the protein of meat, by combining with the alkali, might reduce 

 the power of the latter to eject the nitrogen from ammonio-mag- 

 nesium phosphate in the aeration process; and (E) that sodium 

 hydroxid and sodium carbonate would behave very differently in de- 

 grees of hydrolytic influence on the protein or other unstable con- 

 stituents, as well as in degrees of decomposing action on any am- 

 monio-magnesium phosphate present to begin with or produced by 

 the treatment. The work was planned under the influence of these 

 possibilities. 



General method. Hashed fresh beef (15-25 gm.), after accu- 

 rate weighing, was thoroughly triturated with sand and water in a 

 mortar, and transferred to a tall cylinder of suitable width. The 

 total amount of added water was 100 c.c. About 2-3 gm, of 

 sodium hydroxid or 4 gm. of sodium carbonate were added, kero- 

 sene promptly poured in, and strong aeration immediately hegiin and 

 continued 8-12 hours. The force of the current was practically the 

 same for each sample. Each alkali was used without addition of 

 sodium chlorid, so that maximal effects, good and bad, might be 

 elicited. The essential data are summarized in Table i. 



TABLE I 



Data showing the yields of ammonium nitrogen from hashed beef, in compara- 

 tive aerations with sodium hydroxid and sodium carbonate 



^ In the putrefaction of meat, crystals of ammonio-magnesium phosphate 

 appear early and accumulate rapidly. 



* Each reserve supply of hashed beef was kept frozen during the experiment. 



