Fallacy of "Crushing Death" in Frozen Bacterial Suspensions

Abstract

The relative physical strength of different species of bacteria was determined by noting their susceptibility to destruction in the Mickle tissue disintegrator. No correlation between the physical strength of bacterial cells and their susceptibility to the lethal effect of freezing-thawing was detected. It is therefore unlikely that the lethal factor in freezing-thawing is mechanical. It is suggested that death of bacteria upon freezing and thawing is due to some chemical or physico-chemical phenomenon.