Re: Is aging meat a good idea? / hydrogen peroxide

August 10, 2005

Re: Is aging meat a good idea?

does this make any sense?

from a search regarding H2O2 bubbling...

quoted:

A more detailed explanation of why it foams on an abrasion is because blood

contains iron (heme) and cells produce an enzyme called catalase. Catalase

is found in nearly all cells and organs and acts as a catalyst in the

decomposition of hydrogen peroxide. Since a cut contains both blood and of

course damaged cells, there is quite a lot of catalase present. When the

H2O2 comes into contact with the catalase, it turns the peroxide into water

(H2O) and oxygen gas (O2). Catalase breaks down the hydrogen peroxide

extremely efficiently - up to 200,000 reactions/second. To see this reaction

firsthand, I wouldn't recommend stabbing yourself, but you could pour some

H2O2 onto a cut piece of potato to achieve the same results. The damaged

potato cells contain catalase and will react with the peroxide in the same

way.

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Thanks for the quote. However, from the above quote I don't understand what

the heme in red blood cells has to do with anything.

Also, when I spray H2O2 onto meat that I know is fresh and which doesn't

smell, I hardly get any bubbling on it -- whereas with meat that smells

rotten, I do. So I still have some questions about this.

Thanks.

Nenah

August 10, 2005

perhaps the rotting meat has " open sores " where the bacteria has broken down

cells, and the " fresh meat " does not have any surface broken cells...

so perhaps in a round about way, your test does hold validity, even though it is

not a direct indicator of bacteria per se but rather an indicator that bacteria

has been at work degrading the cells. I guess if it works for you for what you

want, then great!

:-)