The Post‐Mortem Oxygen Requirements of Bovine Tissue a

SUMMARY The activity of succinic dehydrogenase of post‐rigor bovine tissue was determined at various temperatures and pH values. The oxygen uptake thus measured yielded typical curves. In the first 15 hr the uniform gas uptake can be accounted for by oxygenation of myoglobin, solution of oxygen and nitrogen, and enzymatic oxygen uptake. After 15 hr the oxygen uptake is due to enzymatic reaction. The enzymatic uptake of oxygen is about 0.7 μL/hr/g of wet tissue. The evolution of carbon dioxide was about 1.1 μL/hr/g of wet tissue. Tissue sample taken from deep in the musculature, however, showed a larger carbon dioxide evolution in the first 4 hr of exposure (before equilbrium is established) to au air atmosphere.