When meat is kept so cold that it is almost frozen, the germs cannot grow, and decomposition is prevented. In this way meat can be kept perfectly free from decomposition for several weeks. After the meat is taken from the cold storage room, it should be cut as soon as possible into steaks, roasts, and other pieces for cooking; and when taken to your home, it should be kept in an ice box until the time to cook it. You cannot keep meat very long at home without decomposition starting, because small ice boxes are not cold enough to check entirely the growth of germs. Unless the meat is to be eaten hot, it should be cooled after cooking and placed again in the ice box as soon as possible. Cooking kills the germs that are in the meat before it is cooked; but unless it is kept in a very cold place and protected from flies after it is cooked, germs will get into it again as soon as it is cold. Cooked meat will decompose just the same as uncooked meat. [Sidenote: What is formed in food by decomposition] When germs are allowed to grow in meat, as always happens when it is not kept in a very cold place, these germs cause the poisons that we call ptomaines. The people who eat such meat become sick, and in many cases do not recover. Cooking meat that contains ptomaines will kill the germs that caused the poison, but it will not destroy the poison that has already been formed. [Sidenote: Why some canned meats are poisonous] People not infrequently are poisoned by eating canned meat. Sometimes you will hear it said that the poison formed because the meat was in cans. This is not true; the cans had nothing to do with the forming of the poison. This was caused by germs that were allowed to grow in the meat before it was cooked. When the meat was cooked the germs were killed, but the poison was not destroyed. In other words, the poison developed before the meat was canned, and not after it was put into the cans. =Questions.= 1. What is the objection to eating fruits when they are partially decayed? 2. Why do some foods shrivel while others decay? 3. Why does decomposition not go on in cold places? 4. What are ptomaines? 5. When are ptomaines formed in canned meats? =Remember.= 1. Partially decomposed fruits or vegetables are not suitable for foods. 2. Meats in which germs have been allowed to grow should not be eaten. 3. Cooking meat kills the germs in it, but does not destroy the poisons that the germs have formed. 4. When canned meats are poisonous, it is because the poison was formed before the meat was canned; the poison is not caused by the can. CHAPTER VIII HARM DONE BY IMPROPER COOKING [Sidenote: Effects of improper cooking] Nearly all food should be cooked before it is eaten; but if the cooking is not properly done, much of the nourishing power of the food is destroyed, and in some instances the food is rendered actually injurious. [Sidenote: Why starchy foods should be thoroughly cooked]