T B A N S A T I () N S 





NEW ZEALAND INSTITUTE, 



19 12. 



Art. I.— The Chemistry of Flesh Foods. — (1) The Putrefaction of Flesh 

 Foods ; (2) the Ripening of Flesh Foods ; (3) the Influence of Cold 

 Storage on the Composition of Flesh Foods. 



By A. M. Wright, F.C.S., M.A.C.S., Associate Editor, Journal of Industrial 

 and Engineering Chemistry. 



[Redd before the Philosophical Institute of Canterbury, 4th December, 1912.] 

 IlSTRODUCTION. 



This paper gives the results of a series of experiments that were carried 

 out to determine the character of the changes in the composition of flesh 

 foods during putrefaction, and during the ripening or maturing of meats, 

 in addition to the results secured from a study of the influences of cold 

 storage upon meats held in cold storage at 2° to 19° Fahr. for varying 

 periods up to 160 days. 



Historical. 



In order to make the problem more intelligible, it is desirable that we 

 should know something of the previous work published on the subject 

 under consideration, and its value in relation to the problems we are now 

 investigating. The following is a brief summary of the hithei-to-published 

 scientific work on the influence of cold storage upon flesh. It is only fair 

 to add that much additional work has been recorded, and, without in any 

 way reflecting upon such work, it is obviously the work of men unskilled 

 in close and accurate observation ; that they have reached the degree of 

 skill shown is greatly to their credit. 



In .1872 M. Teilier found that meat stored at from -2° to +3° C. 

 retained its fresh qualities. 



In 1874 Bouley, in using Tellier's process of refrigeration, noted that 

 meat would keep indefinitely at —2° to +3° C. as far as putresibility was 

 concerned, but developed a peculiar fatty odour and taste at the end of 

 two months. 



In 1889 Pogisaile confirmed Bouley's conclusions. 



1— Tranp. 



