STUDIES ON CONTAMINATING BACTERIA IN MEAT IN RELATION TO THE CONVERSION OF NICOTINAMIDE TO NICOTINIC-ACID

In order to clarify the reason why nicotinic acid (NA) was observed in meat during storage, the influence of contaminating bacteria in meat on the conversion of nicotinamide (NAA) to NA was studied using aseptically prepared rabbit liver. When the washed solution of ground meat was added to aseptic liver meat and incubated at 25-degrees-C, viable counts of bacteria increased to a level of 10(8)/g after 24 hr, and thereafter remained constant. The ability to convert NAA to NA followed the same time course as bacterial growth. In addition, the ability to convert NAA to NA was found in Streptococcus spp. and Enterobacter spp. but not in Pseudomonas spp. From these results, it was concluded that the contaminating bacteria in ground meat contributed to the conversion of NAA to NA.