62 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. I Vol. 37 



The influence of temperatures above freezing on the changes in chemical 

 composition, bacterial content, and histological structure of the flesh of the 

 common fowl, M[ary] E. Pennington, J. S. Hepdcbn, E. Q. St. John, and 

 E. WiTMEK {Jour. Biol. Chem., 29 {1917), No. 2, pp. XXXI, XXXII).— The ani- 

 mal heat was removed from freslily killed chickens by storage at about 0° C. 

 for 24 hours. Some of the birds were then analyzed as " freshly killed chick- 

 en.s." One lot was stored at the average temperature of 23.9° C. for a period 

 of four days at the maximum ; another in a household refrigerator at a temper- 

 ature of 7.2 to 12.8° C. for a period of seven days at the maximum ; and a 

 third lot at a temperature of 0° C. for a period of three weeks at the maxi- 

 mum. Analyses of birds from each of these lots showed that while the total 

 nitrogen content of the muscle remained unchanged the partition of the nitro- 

 gen underwent changes in all three cases. 



" At all three temperatures of holding the amino acid and basic nitrogen 

 increased at the expense of the protein nitrogen, usually in a progressive man- 

 ner. The most striking change in the fat constants was an Increase in the 

 acid value, which became progressively greater as the period of holding length- 

 ened. Both the formation of amino acid and basic nitrogen and the increase 

 In the acid value of the fat occurred most rapidly at the temperature of the 

 room, least rapidly at that of the chill room. . . . The bacteria, which grow 

 under aerobic conditions, lncrease<l in both the muscles and the skin at all 

 three temperatures of holding. The increase was enormous in the chickens 

 kept in the room and was less marked, though distinct, in those kept In the 

 refrigerator and In the chill room. The increase usually became greater as the 

 period of holding lengthened." 



Changes were also noted in the histological structure of the animals in all 

 cases, these changes depending both on the temperature and the time of 

 holding. 



" The clianges which occurred during holding in the chill room for three 

 weeks were about equal to those occurring during holding in the house refrig- 

 erator for five to seven days. The changes which took place during holding 

 In the house refrigerator for five days were less than those taking place during 

 holding in the room for two days." 



The influence of temperatures below freezing on the changes in chemical 

 composition, bacterial content, and histological structure of the flesh of the 

 common fowl, M[ary] E. Prnmngton, J. S. Hepbvkn. E. Q. St. John, and 

 E. WiTMER {Jour. Biol. Chnn., 29 {1917). Xo. 2, pp. XXXIII. A'A'A7r).--This 

 paper presents a brief report of chemical, bacteriological, and lilstological 

 studies of chickens which, after having been frozen hard, were .stored at tem- 

 peratures varying from —9 to —13° C. for periods as long as two years. 



Analyses and organoleptic te.sts showed that no los.s of food value occurred 

 while the chickens were in the freezer, and the birds were still wholesome and 

 nutritious, the only appreciable changes being a loss in flavor after holding 

 for a priod longer than nine months. The muscular tissue showed a progres- 

 sive loss of water while the chickens were held in the freezer. The total 

 nitrogen of the muscle remained unchanged, but changes occurred in the par- 

 tition of the nitrogen which indicated the occurrence of a slow but distnict 

 proteolysi.s. The hydrolysis of the fat and the digestion of the protein occurred 

 much less rapidly than in the case of birds held at temperatures above freez- 

 ing. These chemical changes were believed to be due to an enzymatic rather 

 than to a bacteriologic cause. Certain characteristic changes took place In the 

 histological structure of the cells of the muscle, nerves, and blood vessels. 



*' The changes here recorded were most marked after the normal commer- 

 cial period of freezer storage had been exceeded. . . . The changes in chemical 



