Figure 13. 



A^ar-agar ready for shipping 

 to distribution points. 



discolored. Investigations 

 reveaied that the crude prote- 

 in content of the shipments in 

 question was greater thaJi 

 three percent. The amotmt of 

 crude protein present in the 

 finished product Is controlled 

 hy the slow freezing during 

 the dehydration process. This 

 is another example of the 

 importance of ideal weather 

 conditions in the processing 

 areas. 



7. The quantity of 

 insoluble materials is 

 measured at the same time, and 

 the amount must be less than 

 four percent for export 

 pxirposes. The moisture content is also determined at this time, and the 

 finished product must have no more than 2Z percent by weight to be con- 

 sidered for export. 



8. The melting point of agar-agar is determined in the follow- 

 ing manner: 1.5 grams of agar-agar are mixed with 100 cc. of water; 10 

 cc. of the resulting jelly are placed in a test tube, and a thermometer 

 is inserted through the jelly. The material is held overnight at room 

 leniperature to sillow the jelly to harden. When the test is made, five 

 grams of Tiercury axe added, and the test tube is placed in a beaker con- 

 taining 400 cc. of water. The water is heated over a Bunsen burner so 

 that the temperature increases 1*^ C in one minute, "hen the mercury 

 begins to pass through the jelly, the melting point is reached, and the 

 temperature reading of the thermometer is recorded. The test is repeated 

 several times on each batch in order to obtain an average figure. 



9. Previously, when sodium dioxide was added to the batch as a 

 bleaching agent, a test was made to determine the amount still present In 

 the finished product. No tolerance was allowed for material used for 

 export; only .00025 percent was permitted for domestic use. 



10. Visual inspection to determine the quality in regard to 

 shape, color, and packaging is made when the material is prepared for 

 shipment. The agar-agar is compressed and packed in large bundles weigh- 

 ing about 116 kilograms each. 



4>^ 



15 



