296 



L. D. BITSHNELL 



The above tables show a very marked influence of acid upon 

 the thermal death point of both organisms. The fact that canned 

 fruits and vegetables containing, or treated with acid, kept so 

 much better than fruits and vegetables containing no acid, was 



TABLE 8 



Influence of varying amounts of acetic acid and air upon the thermal death point of 



of B. subtilis spores 



formerly thought to be due to the fact that the acid inhibited 

 growth. From the results which we have obtained, we are 

 inclined to believe that the keeping is due, not so much to the 

 influence of the acid in inhibiting growth as to the fact that most 

 or all of the organisms present are killed by the heating process. 



