CHANGES IN FRESH BEEF DURING COLD STORAGE. 49 



cent, so that 80-9 per cent of the total increase in inorganic phos- 

 phorus has taken place in the first 7 days and 19.1 per cent in the 

 remaining 93 days. These facts indicate very clearly that the rate 

 of the enzymatic change of organic phosphorus to inorganic forms 

 decreases as the reaction progresses. It is, therefore, not surprising 

 that the cleavage of the organic phosphorus took place rather slowly 

 in this experiment where the phosphorus distribution in the mate- 

 rial used approximated to that obtaining in meat which has already 

 imdergone a certain amount of autolysis. The exact cause of the 

 retarded rate of change, however, remains to be determined. 



Soluble organic phosphorus shows large relative decreases that 

 vary from 36.89 per cent in the case of the round to 54.10 per cent 

 in the case of the loin. However, the actual decreases are only 

 slightly greater than those observed in the carcass stored for two 

 weeks in Experiment No. 1. The apparent explanation for the 

 slower rate of change of organic phosphorus into inorganic forms 

 has already been discussed under inorganic phosphorus. 



EXPERIMENT NO. 3. 

 HISTORY OF CAECASS. 



A " grade " shorthorn steer 4^ years old and of fair conformation 

 and finish, was slaughtered in the usual manner and the carcass was 

 allowed to hang for 50 minutes on the killing floor, after which it was 

 run into the cooler. The warm carcass weighed 755 pounds. The 

 carcass was held for 22 hours in the fore cooler at a temperature 

 between 30° and 36° F., and for 48 hours in the main cooler at a 

 temperature varying from 30° to 32° F. The humidity of the fore 

 cooler was 95 per cent and that of the main cooler 98 per cent of 

 saturation. After storage for 70 hours in the packing-house coolers 

 the two hind quarters of the carcass were carefully wrapped and 

 transported to the bureau's cold-storage rooms, the trip requiring 

 less than one hour. 



STORAGE. 



The quarters of beef were unwrapped and weighed, and one was 

 immediately prepared for analysis while the other was hung up in 

 cold-storage room No. 1 for a period of 42 days. 



The temperature of the cold-storage room was fairly uniform 

 throughout this experiment, ranging from 32° to 36° F. The hu- 

 midity varied fi'oiu 69 to 74 per cent of saturation. 



Observations as to tbe condition of the beef were made at intervals 

 during the storage period, with the following results: 



After 24 days in storage the beef was in good condition. There 



was a slight growth of mold on the outside and inside of the flank. 



The exposed cut nuiscular siii'I'aces (jii the inside of the i-ound and 



on the tip oi the loin had become dark-brovVn in color and firm in 



r.f;801 '— liull. 433—17 4 



