Wright. — Chemistry of Flesh Foods. 9 



The Changes du3 to the Ri'pening of Meat in the Absence of Bacterial 



Interference. 



In Chemical Experiment No. 3 portions of the minced meat were 

 treated with a mixture of thymol and chloroform to inhibit bacterial 

 action, and the changes due to the ripening of meat allowed to proceed in 

 the known absence of bacterial interference. (Bacteriological Experiment 

 No. 2 shows this.) 



Referring to Chemical Experiment No. 3, Tables A, B, and C, we find 

 in the case of the lamb that there is a progressive increase of the organic 

 extractives for three days (see Table B) from 214 per cent, to 23-35 per 

 cent., then a drop to 23- 10 per cent, and an increase to 23-50 per cent. 

 The total soluble nitrogen increases from 3-54 per cent, to 3-86 per cent, 

 on the fifth day, and then falls to 3-82 per cent. Throughout the experi- 

 ment changes occur which reach a maximum between the third and fifth 

 days, and the figures remain stationary or slightly revert. It is noted 

 especially that the amounts of ammonia remain about the same throughout, 

 there being no increase which can be attributed to bacterial influence. 

 Similar results are found in the case of the mutton. 



It is therefore concluded that during the ripening of meat, in the ab- 

 sence of bacterial infection, changes involving the increase of the organic 

 extractives, soluble nitrogen, meat-bases, proteoses, and peptones, and 

 a decrease of the coaguable proteids, take place to between the third and 

 fifth days, and then further changes cease. 



Chemical Experiment No. 3 (Lamb). 



Table A. — Figures on Basis of Original Meat. 



73 



681 1 



081 5 



29 3-265 



5-18 

 5-24 

 5-36 

 5-68 

 5-62 

 5-72' 



0-26 

 0-31 

 0-38 

 0-34 

 0-36 



0-07 

 0-14 

 0-24 

 0-24 

 0-25 



0-85 0-03110-5 

 0-84 0-037! . . 

 0-89 0-031 . . 

 1-09 0-038' .. 

 Ml 0-036 .. 



0-38 0-21 1-09 0-038' 



Table B. — Figures calculated to Moisture-, Ash-, and Fat-free Basis. 



