MEAT BACTERIA 1 75 



ind, it is advisable to reject or condemn all meats which emit 

 ifensive odors, provided such odors are not normal to the meat, 

 nder normal offensive odors may be mentioned the fishy odor 



meats from animals which feed upon fish, mussels and other 

 niatic animals; the sex odor which is often marked in the meats 

 om older males; the various vegetable odors due to feeding, 

 ich as the turnip odor and taste in beef, fenugreek odor, etc., 

 ;c. Distinctively putrefactive odors in meats are a very reliable 

 dication of their unfitness for consumption. Marked changes 



consistency (sloppy, smeary and porous meats) and in color 

 rayish, yellowish, greenish) usually indicate advanced stages of 

 ^composition. Some authorities have recommended that the 

 -esence of free ammonia should be the test for putrefactive 

 langes in meats and should serve as the basis for condemnation 

 r ocedures, but others point out the fact that toxins are formed 

 before there is any appreciable formation of ammonia. The 

 Lfest guide to the quality of meats is undoubtedly the bacterio- 

 gical test. As to the question on what bacteriological findings 

 tall the quality estimates of meat be based, it is suggested that 

 idgment be based upon the number of bacteria present and 

 merally irrespective of kind. If exposed and comminuted meats 

 p not contain more than 1,000,000 bacteria per gram, they may be 

 resumed to be reasonably wholesome. The exceptions to this 

 umerical limit are the finding of pathogenic and toxin-forming 

 acteria. The conclusive proof of the mere presence in meats 



bacteria which are pathogenic to man is sufficient to condemn 

 ich meats. It is reasonable to assume that most bacterial in- 

 asions of meats are of the putrefactive kind and hence objection- 

 )le, and it is therefore fair and just to all concerned to fix a nu- 

 terical limit at which such foods are still reasonably wholesome, 

 s suggested. There are, however, those notable exceptions where 

 teat contains toxins and ptomaines in quantities sufficient to 

 roduce serious and even fatal poisoning without bacteria being 

 resent, as when fresh meat has been in contact with decomposed 



