putrefaction
Quick Summary
Putrefaction is the biochemical process where dead organic matter breaks down into simpler substances. This decomposition is often carried out by microorganisms like bacteria and fungi.123
In protein-rich foods, such as meats, organisms break down proteins into amino acids and produce foul-smelling compounds like amines, ammonia, and hydrogen sulfide. Carbohydrates are fermented into acids, alcohols, and gases, while fats are broken down into fatty acids and glycerol. This process results in spoilage, altering the appearance, flavor, and odor of the food. Examples of putrefaction include the decay of leftovers or the breakdown of dead animals.314
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Joseph ListerWork in antisepsis… by experiments on fermentation and putrefaction. Lister’s education and his familiarity with the microscope, the process of fermentation, and the natural phenomena of inflammation and coagulation of the blood impelled him to accept Pasteur’s theory as the full revelation of a half-suspected truth. At the start he believed the germs…
Read More… by experiments on fermentation and putrefaction. Lister’s education and his familiarity with the microscope, the process of fermentation, and the natural phenomena of inflammation and coagulation of the blood impelled him to accept Pasteur’s theory as the full revelation of a half-suspected truth. At the start he believed the germs…
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Louis PasteurPasteur effect…that the phenomena occurring during putrefaction were due to specific germs that function under anaerobic conditions.
Read More…that the phenomena occurring during putrefaction were due to specific germs that function under anaerobic conditions.
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