A SOURING OP .BEEP CAUSED BY BACILLUS 
MEGATHERIUM 
By Hubert Bunyea 
Veterinary Inspector , Pathological Division , Bureau of Animal Industry, United States 
Department of Agriculture 
The problem involved in the maintenance of a wholesome food supply 
for the public is without doubt one of paramount importance, concern¬ 
ing, as it does most intimately, the physical well-being of the Nation. 
Among the most difficult phases of this problem is that respecting the 
flesh foods. The long recognized fact of the communicability to man of 
certain animal diseases has made it imperative for the safeguarding of 
health that supervision be maintained over the extremely important 
industries engaged in the production of flesh foods. 
But there are other considerations which stress the urgency of a proper 
watch over the character of the flesh foods to be offered to the people 
for consumption. Meats, to be acceptable to man, must be not only 
wholesome but palatable. It is quite conceivable that the flesh of a 
carcass which has satisfactorily passed a rigid inspection as to the exist¬ 
ence of disease may subsequently be subjected to such a manner of 
handling as to render it utterly unsuitable for food. This is what actually 
occurs at times. 
Aside from the objectionable qualities which may be normal or inci¬ 
dental to animals presented for slaughter, such as the sexual odors and 
flavors of certain adult male animals or odors and flavors produced by 
the use of ill-smelling feeds, etc., the flesh of animals from the time of 
slaughter to the time of consumption is continually susceptible to the 
acquisition of undesirable properties. Some of these may be acquired 
by absorption and others by the action of bacteria, as in ordinary putre¬ 
faction. 
There is a condition known as sour beef, which is familiar alike to 
butchers and inspectors, and one which doubtless occasions no little 
economic loss, especially to small butchering establishments and retailers 
who may not be equipped with facilities for the storage of meat to 
prevent this alteration. In reference to this condition the following 
statement is quoted from Ostertag’s “Handbook of Meat Inspection":* 
Stinking acid fermentation occurs in slaughtered domestic animals when the meat, 
while still warm, is stored in large pieces and in closed receptacles, or, in general! 
when it is subjected to conditions under which it can not cool. This alteration is 
characterized by the term “suffocated.” 
1 Ostertag, Robert, handbook or meat inspection . . Translation by Earley Vernon Wilcox 
ed. 2, rev., p. 746-747. New York. 1905. 
Journal of Agricultural Research, 
Washington, D. C. 
za 
(689) 
Vol. XXI, No. 9 
Aug. 1, 1921 
Key No. A-60 
