REFRIGERATION OF FISH 



555 



temperature is not likely to be too low, as far as the quality of the 

 fish is concerned, provided they are protected from drying and the 

 temperature remains constant. 



Cold-storage rooms are usually large and are located on the upper 

 floors of the house. They are insulated, of course, in keeping with 

 the temperatures to be maintained — usually 4 or 6 inches of cork, 

 or the equivalent insulating value in other materials. The piping 

 usually is suspended from the ceiling or placed on the side walls, 

 or both, and in ample amount to insure the required low temperature. 



Fig. 17. — Storeroom of boxed frozen fish. Here the boxes are stacked on bottoms. 

 It is more general practice to stand the boxes on end. When Style 4 boxes are 

 used and stacked on end the cleats separate the boxes and allow circulation of 

 air between them. Courtesy, Bay City Freezer 



The walls usually are whitewashed. Freshly applied whitewash, 

 however, appears to have a drying effect on fish placed near it. 



TEMPERATURE OF STORAGE ROOMS 



It has been pointed out already (see Glazing, p. 546) that low tem- 

 perature is the only sure means of avoiding rust or rancidity of 

 fat fish, though a heavy glaze helps. The approximate maximum 

 temperature is 8° F., if the fish are to be kept more than three or four 

 weeks. It is safer to maintain 5° or even 0°, as some of the best 

 freezers do regularly. Even at these temperatures some fish, particu- 

 larly prone to rust, such as smelts, may rust unless they are otherwise 

 protected. 



Although there seems to be no mention of it in the scientific litera- 

 ture of fish cold storage, there appears to take place a change in the 



