BACTERIA AND THE WHOLESOMENESS OF FOOD 221 



with ten times its bulk of water, and keep the eggs in the 

 mixture. They will remain in a usable condition for a long 

 time, though they lose their fresh taste. No means are 

 known by which this can be preserved. 



Effect of the Growth of Bacteria upon the 

 Wholesomeness of Food 



The question whether the growth of bacteria in the food 

 necessarily renders it unwholesome remains yet to be con- 

 sidered. It is evident that after any food material has 

 become completely putrefied it is quite ruined for all food 

 purposes. The vile tastes and odors become so strong that 

 no one can relish food that has entered the later stages of 

 putrefaction. But how about the earlier stages, when the 

 flavors and odors are so slight as to indicate that bacteria 

 have only begun their action ? In other words, are we 

 likely to eat food which has begun to be decomposed by 

 bacteria ; and if so, is such food unwholesome in any respect .' 



We cannot regard any material as harmful simply because 

 it is a product of decomposition or contains such products. 

 A number of such decomposition products are in more or 

 less constant use. Alcohol is in a sense a decomposition prod- 

 uct ^oduced by yeast. It certainly is used to a very great 

 extent, and probably, when used only in small quantity, causes 

 no very considerable injury. Vinegar is also a decomposi- 

 tion product from the growth of bacteria, and is used freely 

 by the human race without injury. The flavors of our high- 

 priced butter are due to bacteria, and the extremely valuable 

 flavors of cheeses are due, in many cases and perhaps in all, 

 to decomposition products developed in the curd of milk by 



