FISH MEAL QUALITY 



255 



Overheating quickly and seriously impairs protein nutritive 

 quality and reduces the feeding value of the meal. Drying to 

 less than 6 per cent moisture content is a hazard to protein 

 quality, 

 (b) Meal should be well cured and cooled prior to sacking or ship- 

 ment. Spontaneous heating during shipment is undesirable and 

 may cause lumping and loss of quality. Sweating may cause 

 moisture condensation, wetting, and mold formation. 



Table 20.1. Proximate Composition* and Volume of Production of 

 Principal U.S. Fish Meals 



Species 



Protein 

 Av. Range 



Oil 



Av. 



Range 



Av. 



Ash 



Range 



1961 



Production 



Tons 



* All results on "as fed" basis. 



Vitamin content of fishery by-products, Com. Fisheries Rev., 19, No. 5a, 14 (1957). 

 Ibid., p. 11. 



"Fisheries of the United States, 1961 (a preliminary review)," Com. Fisheries Sta., No. 2900, April 

 1962. 



