Wright. — Chemistry of Flesh Foods. 7 



The Changes due to the Ripening of Meat. 



In order 'o study the efiect of the process of ripening upon meat, 

 experiments were carried out to determine the changes occurring during 

 seven days when the meat was held at laboratory temperatures in flasks, 

 the meat being examined at the end of one, two, three, five, and seven 

 days. The results are shown as Chemical Experiment No. 2, Tables A, 

 B, and C. 



In the case of lamb we find a progressive increase of the organic ex- 

 tractives and soluble nitrogen, as shown in Table B. These increase from 

 21-4 per cent, to 26-21 per cent., and from 3-54 per cent, to 4-42 per cent, 

 respectively. From the same table we see that the coaguable proteids 

 decrease from 11-14 per cent, to 8-86 per cent, on the third day, followed 

 by an increase to 12-25 per cent, on the seventh day. The proteoses in- 

 crease from 1-31 per cent, to 2-62 per cent. ; the peptones increase from 

 0-38 per cent, to 1-31 per cent, and then fall to 0-68 per cent. ; the meat- 

 bases increase from 4-25 per cent, to 5-57 per cent, on the third day, and 

 then fall to 5-07 per cent, on the seventh day. The amount of ammonia 

 remains fairly constant till the third day, and then increases considerably, 

 and on the seventh day there is 0-360 per cent. 



In the main, similar changes take place in the mutton, and it is 

 concluded that certain progressive changes due to the ripening of the meat 

 take place up till the third day, and then, owing to the increase of bacteria, 

 incipient decomposition takes place. This is evidenced by the marked 

 increase of the ammonia, organic extractives, and coaguable proteids, and 

 the decrease of the meat-bases after the third day. 



Changes due to bacterial influence w^ere to be expected, as under normal 

 conditions bacterial infection will take place in all meat unless specially 

 guarded against. 



Chemical Expeeimekt No 2 (Lamb) 



Table A. — Figures on Basis of Original Meat. 



4-27 0-708 2-22 0-261 0-07 0-85 0-0310-54 



4-36 0-712 2-15 0-31 0-10 0-85 0-034 



4-49 0-726 1-90 0-34' 0-25 0-94 0-031 



4-62 0-758 1-76 0-35 0-22 1-11 0-032 



4-84| 0-798, 2-02 0-411 0-26 1-03 0-046 



5-23 0-884! 2-45 6-53' 0-14 1-01 0-075 



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



