SO U. 8. BUREAU OF FISHERTES 
At the start of a run the bath is filled with sufficient fresh cotton- 
seed oil to cover the fish. Frying is continued in this same oil, 
sometimes for weeks, with such additions and subtractions as be- 
come necessary, until, in the judgment of the operator, the oil is no 
longer fit for use. It is then thrown away or sold as a low-grade oil. 
Judgment on the stopping point is quite varied; the operator is 
influenced at times by the saving effected by prolonging the use of 
the oil. Usually, after a day of frying is completed, the oil is sepa- 
rated from the water and placed in tanks and the fry bath is cleaned. 
Daily (or at less frequent intervals) the oil is given some sort of 
cleansing treatment in some canneries. 
Draining.—The baskets of hot fish coming from the cooking vat 
are stacked, several deep, on a truck and set aside to cool and drain 





DRYING TUNNEL 

BLOWER 

CONVEYOR FOR CARRYING 
PLAN DRED FISH TO BASKETS 
FISH FROM BRINE TANK 
ale C= eae 

LONGITUDINAL SECTION 
Fia. 8.—Diagram of a typical California sardine dryer 
until they are to be packed (usually next day). Stacked in this 
manner they cool but slowly, and this facilitates draining. Much 
liquid runs from the fish; some of this is oil but most of it’is water 
containing dissolved proteins. The losses of valuable extractives 
here and in frying are considerable. Upon standing, the fish become 
firm and the skins are further toughened. The oil covering the fish 
tends to dry (in the sense that linseed oil dries), and this makes the 
skins tough and rubbery. This oxidation of the oil, however, 
detracts from its palatability. 
Packing.—After sufficient cooling the baskets of sardines are 
placed on the packing table, where women discard the broken fish 
and pack the others into cans. These cans come through a chute 
from a different part of the plant to the packing tables. The filled 
cans are then placed on a belt conveyer, which carries them in a 
