COOKED MEAT MEDIUM (R.C. MEDIUM) (MEAT GRANULES)

Description

Clostridium is a large genus of gram-positive spore-bearing anaerobes. They are normally present in soil, some are responsible for human and animal diseases and others are associated with food spoilage. They may be saccharolytic, decomposing sugars to form butyric and acetic acids and alcohols. The beef heart, solids in Robertson’s Medium is reddened and gas is produced. Other proteolytic species attack the amino acids. Beef Heart, solids in Robertson’s medium is blackened and decomposed by Clostridium species, giving the culture a foul odour. The mesophilic spore-forming anaerobes are of primary importance in the spoilage of low acid foods packed in sealed containers, because of their high heat resistance, their ability to grow in the absence of oxygen and a growth range which covers the temperature of normal storage of canned and other processed foods including the refrigerated storage of cured meats.