CANNING OF FISH AND FISH PRODUCTS 443 



termination of the amount of sediment at 71.5° F (22° C) and the "cloud test." 

 The latter consists essentially of first heating the oil sample to 302° F (150° C) 

 and then cooling it down at once to the point where the cloud appears in the 

 oil. Oils which show sediment at room temperature showed clouding temperatures 

 of not lower than 32° F (0°C), while the best oils gave results of 23.8° F 

 (— 4° C) or lower. As a result of these studies it has been recommended that the 

 following specifications for olive oil and cottonseed oil for packing sardines be 

 observed: 



Olive Oil. To be light colored, free from sediment, sweet in taste (not rancid) 

 it shall show less than 1 per cent acidity (calculated as oleic acid) and be guaran- 

 teed free from adulteration. 



Cottonseed Oil. Summer Oil: It shall be sweet in taste (not rancid) and free 

 from sediment at 70° F (21.1° C). It shall show a "cloud test" not higher than 

 30° F (— 1.1° C) when tested by the method approved by the American Chemi- 

 cal Society. 



Cottonseed Oil. Winter Oil: It shall meet the above requirements, except that it 

 shall be capable of withstanding a "cloud test" of 21° F (— 6.1° C). 



The composition of various types of Maine sardines is given in Table 96. 



Table 96. Proximate Composition of Sardines as Canned. 



Mois- Total '^.°^^^ Protein Ether . ^ Cal- Phos- , ^^'" 



,-,• . , i-j nitro- ... Ash . , Iron ones 



Fish ture sohds (N X 6.25) extract cium phorus 



gen per 



Norwegian Sardine Canning. The canning center of Norway is Stavanger, 

 which is the principal shipping point for Norwegian canned fish. There are about 

 80 brisling and herring canneries in Norway. The canning season lasts from 

 about June 1 to December 1, while fish balls and other products are put up during 

 the rest of the year. 



Following is a description of the canning process, according to Hamm (1947): 



"The fish used for the canning of Norwegian sardines is that known in Norwegian 

 as Tjrisling' and in English as 'sprat' ( genus, Clupea sprattus ) . A lower grade of sardine 

 is put up from the small herring or 'mussa' {Clupea harengus) or from a mixture of 

 these with brisling. These fish are from SM to 5 inches in length. 



"The summer fishing season lasts from about June 1 until October 15. During this 

 season the brisling or mussa are caught in the fjords where they are driven by the 

 whales. They are caught by large purse seines, which are carried out around the fish 

 by small boats. As this is the spawning season, the fish are left in the nets from 3 days 

 to 1 month before being taken out of the water so that their condition may be perfect 

 for canning. 



"The first thing done with the fish in the canning factory is to put them through a 

 thorough washing process in large tubs. They are then placed in other tubs in brine. 



