Dec. i, 1920 A Bacteriological Study of Canned Ripe Olives 379 



1 . Putrefactive anaerobe which digested a cooked meat medium with 

 a putrefactive odor, an aerobic Gram-positive, spore-forming rod, and an 

 unidentified Gram-negative bacillus. 



2. Bacterium fluorescens liquefaciens , Proteus, aerobic Gram -positive, 

 spore-forming bacillus, and an unidentified non-gas-producing Gram- 

 negative bacillus. 



3. Staphylococcus, a yeast, and Gram-positive, sporing bacillus. 



4. Gram-positive diplococci, colon group, Aspergillus terreus, and a 

 Gram-positive, spore-forming rod. 



No definite correlation between the odor of the spoiled samples and the 

 type of organism contained therein was noted. The swelled cans from 

 which the colon group only was obtained were recorded as possessing 

 either a flat or slightly "off" odor — that is, they lacked the character- 

 istic fragrant aroma of the first-class product. Since many of the sterile 

 normal cans, particularly of certain brands, had a similar odor, it is 

 doubted whether this condition can be ascribed solely to the metabolic 

 activities of the colon group. Three cans containing spore-forming 

 anaerobes possessed a disagreeable or rancid odor. The liquor, together 

 with portions of the olives from several of the most offensive cans, was 

 fed to guinea pigs without ill effects. 



The large numbers and diversity of types encountered, particularly of 



the non-spore-formers, point to insufficient heating of the product. While 



it is realized that there may be a slight leakage along the seam of the can 



immediately after heating, and with subsequent closure, it would seem 



improbable that this could account entirely for the results obtained in 



this investigation. 



SUMMARY 



(1) In the bacteriological examination of 480 commercial containers 

 of ripe olives, living microorganisms were obtained in practically every 

 instance from samples which were abnormal, as indicated either by a 

 swelled condition of the container or a bad odor. 



(2) Viable microorganisms were found in a small percentage of normal 

 containers. These were either aerobic, spore-forming bacilli, cocci, or 

 apparently dormant members of the colon group. 



(3) A study of the organisms encountered in the spoiled samples 

 showed a great diversity of types, among which the colon group pre- 

 dominated. 



