4. The muscle, the attached viscera, and 

 small shell fragments were transferred to 

 a brine flotation tank contain in o- 8-percent 

 NaCl, where small shell fragments and 

 surface grit were removed by sedimenta- 

 tion (fig. 6). 



5. The muscle and viscera were separated 

 from each other on an inclined (15°) evis- 

 cerator, which consisted of a series of 

 high-speed rollers and of cold-water show- 

 ers for rinsing the meats during eviscera- 

 tion (fig. 7). 



6. The viscera discharged from the lower 

 surface of the eviscerator, whereas the 

 meats moved down the inclined top surface. 



7. The cleaned meats were inspected on a 

 stainless-steel perforated screen and 

 packed in 30-pound metal containers (fig. 

 8), and the containers, in turn, were 

 packed in ice for chilling. 



Samples taken for analyses from the experi- 

 mental lots were collected at three stages in 

 the mechanical process, as follows: 



1. The first sample (Lot 1) was taken from 

 the 30-pound metal containers immedi- 

 ately after packing, without an additional 

 or final rinse. The temperature of the 

 meat at the time of sampling was 14.4° C. 



2. The second sample (Lot 2) was taken 

 after the meats had remained in the 30- 

 pound metal containers for 3 hours, with- 

 out an additional or final rin.se. The tem- 

 perature of the meats at the time of 

 sampling was 15.5° C. 



3. The third sample (Lot 3) was taken after 

 the meats had remained in the 30-pound 

 metal containers under iced condition for 

 3 hours and had then been given an addi- 

 tional or final rinse. The temperature of 

 the meats at the time of sampling had not 

 decreased significantly (15.5° C). The 

 final rinse was accomplished as stated for 

 the control lot and in addition to the evis- 

 cerator rinse. All samples were taken 

 from the center area of the cans and 

 packed in an identical manner as accom- 

 plished for the control samples. All 

 sample lots were transferred to the lab- 

 oi-atory within 5 hours. 



Figure 6. — Brine floating tank (8 percent NaCl) containing the meats, attached viscera 



and small shell fragments. 



