Action of Pseudomonas fragi on the proteins of pig muscle.

Considerable salt-soluble protein degradation was observed in pork muscle inoculated with Pseudomonas fragi. During a 20-day incubation period at 10 C, the samples proceeded to rank spoilage or putrefaction. There was a large decrease in the salt-soluble protein fraction and a corresponding increase in nonprotein nitrogen. Disc gel electrophoretic patterns showed that breakdown of the salt-soluble proteins had occurred after incubation for 20 days. During incubation for 10 days at 10 C, P. fragi produced large amounts of extracellular proteolytic activity in ground pork. Most of the proteolytic activity appeared immediately after spoilage occurred. However, a significant increase in the ability to hydrolyze casein and a slight increase in the ability to hydrolyze denatured hemoglobin occurred prior to spoilage.