Studies on Microorganisms Contaminating Dressed Carcasses

II. Isolation of Bacilli at Different Temperatures and Measurement of Proteolytic Enzyme Procuced by These Bacilli

Abstract

Putrefaction and degradation of meat are thought, to be caused partially by the proteolytic enzyme of contaminating organisms. In the present study, contaminating organisms were isolated from meat stored at various temperatures, and the rate of producing decomposed material from protein (casein) by the action of protease derived from these contaminating organisms were measured.
1) Micrococcus, Streptococcus, and Gaffkya were isolated at 37°C, Micrococcus, Staphylococcus, Bacillus, and Achromobacter at 25°C, Alcaligenes and Flavobacterium at 10°C, Pseudomonas, Flavobacterium, Achromobacter, and Alcaligenes at 5°C, and Pseudomonas, Achromobacter, and Alcaligenes at 1°C.
2) Comparison was made on the rate of producing decomposed material from protein (casein) by the action of protease derived from the isolated strains. The highest rate was observed in the case of the strains isolated at 37°C. It decreased invalue with the decrease in temperature of isolation. The production of proteolytic enzyme from the organisms isolated at low temperature was presumed to have some relations to the putrefaction and degeneration of meat stored at low temperature.