SUMMARYGround semitendinosus beef muscle was allowed to undergo normal spoilage at 7°C for 30 days. Changes in the antigenicity of the muscle proteins were determined periodically by injecting rabbits with 3 NaCl extracts of beef from freshness to spoilage. According to the serological methods employed, the salt‐soluble muscle proteins were highly antigenic in all meat extracts. Although the anti‐putrid and anti‐fresh extract antibodies cross reacted they were, nevertheless, serologically distinct, in that the former always yielded a greater amount of precipitate and a larger number of precipitating bands than did the latter, when he two were tested against their homologous antigens. This study revealed that spoiled meat extracts contained at least 2 new antigenic species not demonstrable in fresh meat extracts, in addition to the antigens serologically common to both extracts. These findings indicate a lack of complete breakdown of salt‐soluble beef proteins by the spoila
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