CANNING SARDINES 9] 
work along this line that had been published." It appeared evident 
that once the principles underlying this step were known it would be 
possible to make improvements in existing processes and to develop 
new and better ones. Research, therefore, was confined to this field. 
The most important difficulties of a technological nature that 
faced the California industry when the investigation started were 
connected with frying in oil. An excellent product can be prepared 
in this way. The process, however, has some rather serious dis- 
advantages. It is time-consuming and costly to carry out properly— 
so costly, in fact, that American canners generally have been unable 
to carry it out as it should be done. It was because of these facts 
that the Maine canners turned to other ways of preparing the fish, 
finally ending with the steaming process, which serves their needs 
better than the frying, although it is also unsatisfactory in some ways. 
The greatest trouble with the frying process has been with the oil 
used for cooking the fish. This problem, because of its importance, 
was the first to be studied. It is discussed in detail in the next 
section. The difficulties encountered in the steaming process are 
discussed in another section. 
It will be helpful to consider very briefly what is known about the 
other factors mentioned, upon which the production of good-quality 
sardines depends, and to point out where there is most need for re- 
search. 
1. The fish themselves, including their condition, handling, and 
cleaning.—It is generally realized that the quality of the final pack 
can be no better than the raw materials from which it is prepared. 
The condition of many kinds of fish varies considerably throughout 
the year. A number of studies have been made that give information 
upon these variations in some of the fish used for sardine canning.”° 
Much that will help keep the fish in good condition from the time 
they are caught until cooked undoubtedly can be learned through 
research. Weber (see footnote, p. 72) did some work along this 
line.”! 
Although machines are now used for cutting the fish, there is need 
of much study in this field to bring about further improvements. 


1 The following papers have been published by the writer on this subject since the investigation was 
begun. ‘‘Changes in oil used for frying sardines.” Fish and Game Commission of California, Circuiar 
No. 1,8pp. Sacramento, 1922. Also, Fishing Gazette, vol. 39, No. 11, pp. 32-34, 63, and 65. New York, 
1922. “‘Some considerations concerning the canning of sardines.’? Transactions, American Fisheries 
Society, 53d Annual Meeting, 1923, pp. 122-150. Hartford. ‘‘ Drying of fish for canning as sardines.”’ 
Pacific Fisherman, vol. 22, No. 10, pp. 9-10. Seattle, 1924. ‘‘New method of preparing sardines.” Pacific 
Fisherman, vol. 23, No. 3, pp. 12-14. Seattle, 1925. ‘‘ Methods of preparing sardines.’’ Canning Age, 
vol. 7, pp. 979-987, New York, 1926. ‘‘A new process is perfected for canning sardines.’”’ Ibid., vol. 8, 
pp. 413-420 and 423. 1927. 
20 “Phe food value of the herring.” By T. Milroy. Twenty-fourth annual report for 1905 (1906), Fishery 
Board for Scotland, pt. 3, pp. 83-107; twenty-fifth annual report for 1906, pt. 3, pp. 197-208. Glasgow, 1907. 
“Den Franske Industris kamp mot de Norske sardiner.””, By Johan Hjort. Aarsberetning vedkommende 
Norges Fiskerier for 1912; 4 de Hefte, pp. 445-560. Bergen, 1913. ‘Seasonal variations in the chemical 
composition of herrings, etc.”” By James Johnstone. Reports, Lancashire Sea-Fisheries Laboratory, for 
1914 (1915), pp. 154-161; 1917 (1918), pp. 13-59; 1918 (1919), pp. 36-63; and 1919 (1920), pp. 16-23. “The fat con- 
tent of Irish Sea herring.’”’ By James Johnstone. Transactions, Liverpool Biological Society, vol. 29, pp. 
216-223. Liverpool, 1915. Paper by Johnstone. See footnote 8, p.72. ‘‘A chemical study of the California 
sardine (Sardinia czrulea).”” By D. B. Dill. Journal of Biological Chemistry, vol. 48, No. 1, pp. 93-103. 
Baltimore, 1921. Paper by Dill. See note, Table 4, p. 73. / 
41 Although research was not carried out in this field during the course of the investigation reported 
upon in this document, attention should be called here to a procedure that probably will prevent much 
of the deterioration that takes place in the fish from the time they are caught until used. 
Small Maine herring, especially when their intestines contain much food (usually the so-called ‘red 
feed’’), deteriorate rapidly, causing much waste of valuable fish. Small pilchards behave quite similarly 
in California. In fact, large fish also deteriorate quite rapidly in both places, although not so quickly as 
the small ones. : 
Weber showed that Maine herring, salted and carried in a layer 214 feet deep in the hold of the boat, 
heated considerably in being carried to the cannery. One lot of fish, ha!f of which it was estimated con- 
tained red feed, rose in temperature from 51° to 74.3° in 3 hours. Another lot, 90 per cent of which con- 
tained feed, rose from 51° to 99.5° in 1044 hours. During the experiment the air temperature did not rise 
