The analytical chemistry laboratory where studies are made of the composition of North Atlantic fish and shellfish. 



practices. Newer standards or revisions 

 are being simplified in application without 

 sacrificing their objectivity in order to aid 

 inspectors in grading several types of 

 products each day. 



As a direct aid to the consumer and the 

 producer in attaining higher quality, our 

 laboratory, under contract with a private 

 engineering firm, is investigating the use 

 of X-rays in detecting bones in fishery 

 products. This research now has shown 

 that bones as thin as 0.012 inch can be 

 readily detected in frozen fish portions at 

 assembly-line speeds of 15 to 25 feet per 

 minute. 



Specifications Development 



This project is concerned with the de- 

 velopment of specifications for fishery 

 products for use by Federal and State agen- 

 cies. The Armed Services are the largest 

 purchasers of seafoods, and the specifica- 

 tions program is designed to assist them in 

 obtaining products of high quality. The 

 laboratory is also cooperating with the 

 National Association of State Purchasing 

 Officials in developing quality specifications 

 that State governments can use in buying 



seafoods. This cooperative program will 

 provide the States with the tools necessary 

 to procure only high-quality fishery 

 products for use in their many institutions. 



Federal specifications have recently been 

 published as "interims"- -that is, as trial 

 specifications- -for frozen raw breaded 

 shrimp, chilled and frozen fish, and canned 

 sardines. Federal specifications for canned 

 tuna, raw shucked oysters, canned clams, 

 and canned shrimp are now in the final 

 stages of completion. 



Specifications being developed for the 

 National Association of State Purchasing 

 Officials include frozen ocean perch fillets, 

 frozen cod or haddock fillets, and frozen 

 raw breaded and fried scallops. New state 

 purchasing specifications are being de- 

 signed for frozen fish portions, frozen 

 shrimp, and canned tuna. 



INSPECTION AND CERTIFICATION OF 

 FISHERY PRODUCTS 



The standards and specifications program 

 is carried out in conjunction with the U.S. 

 Department of Interior's Inspection and 

 Certification Service, which in the North 



