On Fri, 9 Jun 2000 02:17:30 -0700, Ingrid Bauer/J-C Catry
<[log in to unmask]> wrote:

I wrote:
>>>Meanwhile i have understood that you (Jean-Claude) and some others
>>>*do* have developped a taste for unsalted, unspiced raw meat.
>>>What i read at instincto articles, however looks a bit like the main
>>>taste developement comes from the varoius bacteria from "ageing".
>

Jean-CLaude wrote:
>I don't think we developed a taste for it but if we evolved as scavengers
>of
>carcasses ,it just makes sense that we developped a taste then. It seems to
>me than cooking of meat or fermenting dairy products are trying to recreate
>similar flavors.

That's true, if we did so. And some findings point toward that scavenging
played quite a role.
However I recall almost no taste (or veeeery slight) of raw meat.
And not so appelling or the opposite.

I think, the body is able to "learn" about some food,
which in the follow-up influences the attractivety of the taste.
Thus a taste of "good" for carrion is possible.
As a scavenger, or as a industrial human
on the other hand it may be wise (for the body) to develop a "warning"
sense of some things that can cause ill reaction.
Ther *are* dangers from a disintegrating carcass.
Flies and insects come in a carcass in a matter of few minutes -
but probably not a threat.
Aromatizing bacteria  may similarily to the ones in cheese produce own
good byproducts or be harmless.
Parasites which lived before in the animal are a bigger threat, imo.
But poison of clostridium botulinus is deadly in amounts of 1/1000000 grams.
Who didn't have a food intoxication yet?
Afterwards, such smelling things are unable to eat, at least for a while.
In me the disappelling or disgusting instincts are strong.

cheers

Amadeus S.