122 MADRAS FISHERIES BULLETIN VOL. XIII. 



188. The shelled prawns are then brined for a few minutes 

 according to size ; longer is not necessary since for canning the 

 prawns do not require heavy salting, and salt penetrates very 

 rapidly into the flesh freed from the shells. But prawns somewhat 

 more heavily salted, have met with approval. Prawns are packed 

 dry or wet ; at Beypore they are always packed dry and are there- 

 fore dried like sardines, but on trays, till outwardly dry. The cans 

 for prawns must be enamelled or double lacquered inside ; other- 

 wise the constituents of the prawns act on the tin and the fish 

 become black and consequently unsaleable, very shortly. Some 

 canners also pack the prawns in a calico bag which is then tied up 

 and pressed into the can ; in Beypore the lacquered can is lined 

 with vegetable parchment. Other linings are mentioned all of 

 which are intended to keep the prawns from direct contact with 

 the tin plate; a new method is now being tried and if successful 

 details will be published. There is every difference between the 

 brilliance of the red prawns when just boiled and the same when 

 taken out of a badly lined can a few months or even weeks after- 

 wards ; even with all present precautions there is a good deal 

 of difference, especially after a few months. That the loss of 

 brilliance is due to the tin plate is shown by the appearance of the 

 inside of the tin which is blackened and shows the shape of the 

 prawns which have pressed against the cover and bottom, even 

 though protected by parchment paper; also by the fact that 

 prawns preserved in glass retain their brilliance. It is now hoped, 

 however, to have prawns canned in tin containers as brilliant as in 

 glass. 



189. At Beypore prawns are always canned in the cylindrical 

 flat cans called 12 oz. cans, i.e., which hold 12 oz. of ordinary fish, 

 but prawns do not pack close and 9 oz. is about the ordinary load. 

 Dry packed prawns require considerable exhausting since there 

 are large air spaces however closely they may be packed ; this 

 same fact renders processing more lengthy than with wet packed 

 prawns, but not so long as cans of the same capacity if packed 

 solid with ordinary fish. 



190. Wet packed prawns, preferred by some to dry packed, 

 are packed straight from the brine tubs, and when sealed down 

 weak brine is poured in through a small hole which is then tipped. 

 As explained elsewhere, cans filled with water, brine, or vinegar 

 cannot easily be soldered securely, owing to the local formation 



