CANNING SARDINES Q7 
each bath. The two lots of oil were treated in a similar manner, 
except for the cleansing given the oil in bath II. 
The run was stopped long before the oils had reached a condition 
where they could no longer be used, because sufficient data and 
samples for practical purposes had been collected. It was also 
apparent that any figure that might have been obtained concerning 
the maximum quantity of sardines that could be fried per gallon of 
oil used would depend on so many varying factors that it would 
have only very limited application. In this run 226 pounds of 
large, fat sardines in the ‘‘round”’ were fried per gallon of cotton- 
seed oil used. Out of a period of 28 days frying was carried on 
14 days. The actual time of frying, however, covered approxi- 
mately 53 hours.”® 
Procedure and data, second run.—This experiment was carried out 
to gain information as to the practicability of using oils other than 
cottonseed for frying pound-oval sardines. Olive oil at times had 
been used for frying fancy quarter-oil sardines, apparently with 
good results, but its cost would be prohibitive for frying pound-oval 
sardines. Weber (footnote, p. 72) mentions that corn oil was used 
years ago in Maine with poor results. The quality of this oil has 
been much improved since then, so that better results undoubtedly 
would be obtained. Should it have advantages, a suitable grade 
for frying purposes could be obtained at a price nearly equal to 
that of cottonseed oil. 
The use of a hydrogenated oil, such as Crisco or similar products, 
seemed practicable, provided it could be purchased cheaply enough. 
A fat of this nature does not oxidize as rapidly as cottonseed oil. 
in this run corn oil (Mazola) and Crisco were used. The pro- 
cedure followed was the same for both lots as that followed in the 
first run for bath I. Frying was continued until the daily oil 
losses became marked, due to the cooking of lean fish: 
In this run 510 pounds of prepared sardines per gallon of oil were 
fried in each bath. Actual frying time was 46 hours, carried out 
during a period of 36 days.” 
CHANGES IN QUANTITY AND COMPOSITION 
Data kept on the change in the quantity of oil in the two runs 
of frying tests show that the oil content remained approximately 
constant for days at a time when large, fat fish were being fried. 
For a short period, when the fish were very fat, the oil content 
increased. Late in the season the sardines became very lean and 
the oil losses then became very marked. 
Cooked fish when removed from the bath carry considerable oil 
with them, which is mechanically held on the surface, under the 
skin, in the body cavity, and soaked in the flesh. Experiments 
actually show that lean fish remove much oil in this way; fat fish 
must do likewise. It is evident, then, that when the oil content of 
the bath remains constant or increases oil must cook out of the 
fish. Under such conditions the sardine-oil content of the bath 
must increase. 


2 Detailed data on the quantity of fish fried and oil used are given in Tables 13 and 14, pp. 161 and 162, 
# Complete quantitive data concerning the amount of fish fried and oil used are given in the Tables 
15 and 16, pp. 162 and 163. 
40619°—27 3 

