418 MARINE PRODUCTS OF COMMERCE 



than any other covmtiy as dried fish products are a staple article of diet throughout 

 the Orient. 



Although a greater percentage of fish is preserved throughout the world by 

 natural air-drying, this traditional method does not yield a first-class product. Re- 

 search on a suitable method for artificial dehydration has been carried out for the 

 past half century, and it has only been in recent years that fairly effective processes 

 have been developed. Before discussing dehydration (artificial drying) in detail 

 the important natural drying procedures will be considered. 



Natural Air-Drying. The advantage of this method of fish preservation is that 

 no specialized equipment is necessary and it may be accomplished under primi- 

 tive conditions. However, exposure to wind and weather is a relatively slow pro- 

 cedure and results in much loss through spoilage, in lack of uniformity in the final 

 product, and in the development of characteristic "cured" flavors which, although 

 highly acceptable to some people, may not continue to be accepted by future gen- 

 erations, especially in urban centers. 



Most drying processes result in a product with a moisture content of 5 per cent 

 or less, at which point practically all growth of microorganisms and enzymic ac- 

 tion is stopped. However, care must be exercised in the storage of all dried fish 

 products. Surface dampness due to high humidities invites mold growth and 

 subsequent spoilage. Oxidation of the fish oils, with its resultant rancid flavor, is 

 hastened by exposure to the sun and warm temperatures. Therefore, in order to 

 lengthen the storage period dried fish should be stored in a cool, dry place where 

 there is a minimum of air circulation. 



Stockfish. For over a thousand years northern Norway has been the center for 

 curing dried codfish, or stockfish as it is known to the trade. This staple article of 

 commerce is marketed throughout Europe, especially in Italy, Spain, Holland, 

 Sweden, and Denmark. Lesser quantities are sold in other parts of the world, in- 

 cluding the United States, where there are Scandinavian and Latin settlements. 

 Although minor amounts have been cured from time to time in Alaska and 

 Japan, Norway has firmly maintained its supremacy in the production of stock- 

 fish. That part of Norway beyond the Arctic Circle is an especially favored loca- 

 tion for the natural drying of fish products because of its clear, cool weather and 

 prevailing westerly winds. 



The waters surrounding this area have an unusually prolific and varied number 

 of food fish. Common cod, or true cod as it is sometimes called, occurs in great 

 abundance during the early part of each year in the inshore waters close to the 

 curing ports. This species is the principal one used for preparing stockfish, but 

 all other members of the cod and closely related families can be and are cured 

 by drying in the open air. Because of the proximity of the fishing grounds the 

 Norwegian curer is always able to start with a strictly fresh fish, a decided ad- 

 vantage in any dry-curing process. 



As the fish are brought ashore, the butchering and preliminary preparation 

 commence. The belly is opened from just behind the pectoral fins to just beyond 

 the anal opening. The isthmus must remain intact. The head is then removed by 

 a cut made just in front of the pectoral girdle (collarbone) from the ventral 

 to the dorsal side. If the fish is large, it may be split in two as far as the tail. In 

 these fish, called "rotskjaer," about two-thirds of the backbone is also removed. 

 The unsplit fish are known as "rundfisk"; after heading they are passed to a gutter 



