THE VENEZUELAN SALT-FISH INDUSTRIES 



much divergence from the traditional salting methods, developed over a period of centuries, 

 is considered impractical. Toward this end, the mission initiated studies at the Fish- 

 ery Research Laboratory of the United States Department of the Interior at Mayaguez, Puerto 

 Rico. The general program of research on the control of reddening follows: 



1. Isolation of the red organisms from Venezuelan salts. 



2o Testing of chemical preservatives against pure cultures of the red organisms for 

 killing or inhibitory powers, 



3. Sterilization of salts to destroy the organisms. 



4, The use of sterilized salt for salting fish, 



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5o The use of mixtures of sterilized and unsterilized salt with chemical preservatives 

 for salting fish. 



6, The use of chemical preservative solutions for dipping fish previous to salting, 



7, The development of a procedure for the combination of a chemical dip and 'or 



mixtures of salt and chemical preservatives if found necessary. 



Preliminary results of the studies indicated that several preservatives are effec- 

 tive in inhibiting the growth of the red organism and steps are being taken to prepare mix- 

 tures of sterilized and unsterilized salts with the effective chemicals for shipment to 

 Venezuela for use in preparing experimental lots of salt-fish. Like lots of fish will be 

 prepared by the methods now in use and all samples will be returned to Puerto Rico for obser- 

 vations on their keeping quality and development of reddening. 



Until the studies on the control of reddening are further advanced, large-scale pro- 

 duction for export to distant markets should be held In abeyance. There is opportunity, 

 however, to commence salting operations, namely, with cazones, tiburones, rayas, and pez- 

 espada. These are very resistent to reddening and are salable in Caribbean markets, (A 

 more complete study of the bacterial reddening problem appears as a supplement to this re- 

 port,) 



CONTAINERS 



Packaging for Venezuelan salt-fish products falls into two major categories — for dry- 

 salt products and for brine-salt products. 



Local industries can supply two suitable types of containers for dry salt-fish plus 

 a third which may or may not be suitable. Of these, wooden boxes can be manufactured but 

 at relatively high prices due to the cost of lumber. If container costs can be added to 

 the basic fish prices for export the Venezuelan salt-fish industry can be supplied with 

 a sufficient number of boxes made locally. As an excellent substitute, heavy baskets of 

 wild cane (cana amarga) could be procured in a sufficient quantity to package dry salt-fish. 

 The -raw material is abundant; many women already know how to make baskets, and the prices 

 would be low. Suitable baskets should be more or less cubical in form, to hold about 100 

 kilos of dry salt-fish. They should be supplied with covers that can be woven on. The 

 spaces between the woven strips should be as small as practicable. Some dry salt-fish is 

 now packed in burlap sacks but this is not regarded as suitable for long-distance transport. 



Water-tight barrels as now manufactured in Venezuela are not suitable in quality, quanti- 

 ty, or price for packing brine salt-fish. While suitable woods are obtairiable for local 

 cooperage industries, machinery is not available and prices of wood are very high. If a 

 large part of the production of fish for export from Venezuela would be as brined fish, 

 suitable barrels would be necessary. At this time, the only alternative is to L-nport staves, 

 heads, and hoop materials, and the necessary assembling machinery. When interior trans- 

 port again becomes less expensive it is quite possible that a local cooperage industry could 

 be set up. 



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