100 PRELIMINARY COLD STORAGE STUDIES. 



which is the fresh bird are very much greater, even after a lapse of 

 three months, although occasional mistakes may be made in this 

 respect also. At later dates, such as at the end of six months, nine 

 months, or twelve months, the difference between the birds becomes 

 more and more pronounced, so that it may with certainty be said 

 that even after cooking one would rarely confound a fresh bird with 

 one which had been in storage six months. At that date the flavor 

 and the general character of the meat have so deteriorated that it is 

 not difficult to distinguish between the fresh and the stored fowl. 

 Even at this date, however, there is some difficulty in distinguishing 

 between the drawn and the undrawn bird. At the end of a year or 

 more it would be quite impossible to make a mistake in most cases 

 between the fresh and the stored birds. 



Summing up the organoleptic properties, it may be said that for 

 a short time, possibly six weeks or even longer, there is no perceptible 

 change produced in a chicken by having it frozen. There certainly 

 does not seem to be any evidence that it is better, and there is no 

 convincing evidence that it is any worse. After three months, how- 

 ever, the fresh chicken is easily distinguished by its properties, as a 

 rule, from the cold storage chicken, even after cooking, and to an 

 absolute certainty before cooking. This distinction between the 

 fresh and the stored bird becomes more and more marked as the 

 time of storage is increased. In so far as the drawn and undrawn 

 chickens are concerned there is much less certainty of being able to 

 distinguish between them. However, 70 per cent of the jurors were 

 able to pick out the undrawn bird by its stronger odor and taste 

 after a storage period of from six to fifteen months, but at the test 

 representing 18.5 months' storage the two birds were about equally 

 dry and tasteless. 



The general conclusion is, therefore, that in the case of frozen birds 

 there is no indication of any improvement in quality, that is, in taste, 

 odor, or flavor, during cold storage. There is a deterioration which 

 is noticeable, even at the end of three months, and becomes more 

 marked as the time of storage grows longer. Hence, without any ref- 

 erence whatever to the question of wholesomeness, cold storage pro- 

 longed for six months or more appears to be distinctly detrimental 

 as far as taste, flavor, and palatability are concerned. 



BACTERIOLOGICAL AND CHEMICAL INVESTIGATIONS. 



MILK. 



As a part of this investigation certain studies have been made on 

 the changes taking place in milk when kept at low temperatures. 

 The detailed report of this study has already been published, 01 hence 



a J. Biol. Chem., 1908, 4: 353, Bacterial Growth and Chemical Changes in Milk Kept 

 at Low Temperatures, M. E. Pennington. 



