Final answer:
Putrefaction is characterized by bloating due to the production of gases from the decomposition of proteins by bacteria. Blue discoloration is not typical of putrefaction, but rather an earlier postmortem change.
Step-by-step explanation:
Putrefaction is a process of decay or rotting in a body or other organic matter. It is characterized by the decomposition of proteins, which leads to the formation of gases that cause the body to bloat. One of the characteristics of putrefaction is C. Bloating, which results from the production of gases such as methane, hydrogen sulfide, and ammonia during the breakdown of organic material by bacteria. Other changes that may occur during putrefaction include skin discoloration, typically a greenish color due to sulfur-containing compounds, not blue discoloration which is more often associated with earlier postmortem changes such as livor mortis.