THE VENEZUELAN SALT-FISH INDUSTRIES 



After standing for 14 weeks, the samples containing the acidic magnesium benzoate show- 

 ed no signs of reddening. The same was true for the fish that had been preserved with the 

 heat-sterilized salt. However, the two batches that had been placed in the inoculated ster- 

 ile salt, or in the crude Arraya salt, showed growth of the red organism on the surface 

 of the brines and in the flesh that projected above the surface. Within these two brines, 

 as well as in the other brines where reddening was not visible, the bacterial count de- 

 creased throughout the observation period, until, after 14 weeks, all were nearly sterile. 

 The confinement of growth to the surface, and the gradual decrease of bacterial count in 

 the body of the brine, were further evidence that the organism is an obligate aerobe. 



Tabla 3 - Action of Acidic Magnesium Benzoate in the Control of Reddenlnj; Duriiif; Brining 



ly "Arraya" salt from Venezuela used in the brine. 

 2/ Inoculum consisted of 13,600,000 bacteria. 



As expected, the pH values of the brines to which the acidic magnesium benzpate was 

 added were slightly less than in the brines not containing the preservative. However, the 

 values for the individual brines did not vary significantly during the observation periodo 



The acidic magnesium benzoate exhibited some additional and highly valuable preserva- 

 tive effects beside preventing reddening. In all the lots, including the one treated with 

 sterile salt, the fish, especially where they had been exposed to the air, became mushy 

 in texture, stale in odor, and dark brown in color. The brines* also assumed the same hue„ 

 However, the fish that had been treated with the preservative kept their natural texture 

 and color and had a desirable odor. The brines formed from salt containing 0.2 percent 

 of the preservative were only slightly brown, while those containing 1.0 percent were whit- 

 ish. These results indicate that the preservative may have additional effectiveness through 

 inhibiting oxidation or inactivating the autolytic enzymes of the fish. 



To test the preservative more severely, under conditions more favorable to the growth 

 of the organism, 4 or 5 fish were taken from each sample (after it had been salted for 15 

 days) and were wrapped in wax paper. After 14 weeks of storage in this manner, reddening 

 developed in all the saunples except the one in which the salt had contained 1.0 percent 

 of the acidic magnesium benzoate. The fish which had none of the preservative were again 

 observed to be mushy, blackish-brown, and stale, while the treated ones retained the natural 

 texture and color of fresh- fish and a desirable odor. However, since there was red growth 

 even in those paper-wrapped samples that had been treated with sterile salt or with salt 

 containing 0.2 percent of the preservative, it was evident that although 0.2 percent might 

 be sufficient to control reddeniijg in conmercial brine-salted fish, a higher concentration 

 would probably be needed if the handling were careless o 



Samples of fish that had been kept for 15 days in the sterile salt and sterile salt 

 plus 1.0 percent of the acidic magnesium benzoate were freshened and fried and then examined 

 organoleptically to determine whether the preservative had imparted any foreign taste. No 

 difference was noted in the flavor of the samples tested. This may have been due to the 

 thoroughness with which the salt and preservative had been mixed. 



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