COMPOSITION OF MARROW OF FRESH AND CURED 
HAMS 1 
By W. F. Schroeder, Associate Chemist , and David Edelman, Assistant Chemist; 
New York Meat Inspection Laboratory, Bureau of Animal Industry, United States 
Department of Agriculture 
During a recent conference of meat inspectors of the Bureau of 
Animal Industry engaged in the Supervision of operations of estab¬ 
lishments at which Federal meat inspection is maintained, the subject 
of marrow souring in ham bones was discussed. The question arose 
whether curing action takes place in the marrow of these bones. 
Discussion developed the fact that it was not definitely known whether 
curing took place in the marrow of the bones, and there were sharp 
differences of opinion among the inspectors on this -point. The 
writers have since examined the marrow of the femur bones from a 
number of fresh and cured hams in order to determine whether 
chemical changes had taken place during the curing process. 
The femur bones were cut out intact from the hams, all adhering 
particles of meat were carefully removed, and the bones were washed, 
in order that the pickle would not come in contact with the marrow. 
The bones were then cracked, the marrow was removed and the 
marrow from several hams was combined for each sample, care being 
taken that no particles of bone were included. The marrow was 
thoroughly mixed, and the sample was then analyzed. 
The methods of the Association of Official Agricultural Chemists 
were followed in making all determinations. Results of the analyses 
were as follows: 
Marrow from Femur Bones of Fresh Hams 
Water 
Protein 
Fat 
Ash 
Sodium 
chloride 
Nitrites 
8.48 
1.6 
90.0 
0.37 
0.14 
None. 
10.90 
1.5 
87.7 
.19 
.14 
None. 
8.95 
1.3 
89.9 
.17 
.12 
None. 
Marrow from Femur Bones of Hams Cured by Usual Process 
13.76 
2.5 
82.1 
1.03 
0.60 
15 parts per million (as NaNCh). 
10.58 
2.8 
85.8 
.95 
.41 
20 parts per million (as NaN02>. 
9.52 
2.3 
87.8 
.60 
.47 
55 parts per million (as NaN02>. 
Marrow from Femur Bones of Hams Cured by Special Process 
8.72 
1.6 
90.0 
0.71 
0.35 
-»- 
15 parts per million (as NaNCh). 
1 Received for publication July 27, 1925; issued January, 1926. 
Journal of Agricultural Research, 
Washington, D. C. 
( 1015 ) 
Vol. XXXI, No. 11 
Dec. 1,1925 
Key No. A-99 
