SPICES AS PRESERVATIVES 167 



Spices. Many of the spices common in the household 

 are more or less efficient as antiseptics, and when added 

 to food material will preserve it from putrefaction. Their 

 use is quite general in certain household products. For 

 example, mince-meat is a watery mixture which under 

 ordinary circumstances would readily putrefy. Both the 

 meat and the apple in it would by themselves undergo 

 putrefaction and decay ; but when they are made into 

 mince-meat, and spices, boiled cider, and some other mate- 

 rials added, the entire mixture forms a mass which, though 

 not absolutely protected from the growth of microorgan- 

 isms, is ordinarily incapable of supporting the growth of 

 the putrefactive and decaying bacteria which would natu- 

 rally appear in the ingredients. The antiseptic effect is 

 produced chiefly by the spices, and if the housewife should 

 leave these out she would have a putrefying mass in a short 

 time. Such material is not, however, completely protected 

 from mold growth. It will keep longer if the apple is left 

 to be added at the time of using, and, of course, it will keep 

 best in a cool temperature. In a warm temperature the 

 effect of the spices is not sufficient to prevent a more or 

 less troublesome fermentation and decay, and particularly 

 molding. 



In ordinary sausages and salads the same principle is 

 concerned. Sausage meat is made of material which is 

 subject to rapid putrefaction, but in cool weather it may 

 be preserved for a long time. Here we have again an 

 example of a readily putrescible material prevented from 

 decay by the presence of the slightly antiseptic spices, 

 like salt, sage, etc. The spices in the sausages have 

 really a twofold purpose. Not only do they protect the 



