460 MARINE PRODUCTS OF COMMERCE 



were located in Berlin, Altenburg, Krefeld, Cologne, Bohmen, Geestemunde- 

 Bremerhaven, and Hamburg-Altona. The principal raw material used in Germany 

 for marinating is herring, although haddock, anchovies, and other fish are used to 

 a limited extent. 



Principle of the Use of Vinegar. Acetic acid is the active principle of all vinegars 

 and the component which gives them their antiseptic properties. Vinegars differ 

 from each other in flavor, color, and aroma because of the presence of small 

 amounts of other organic compounds whose nature depends upon the source of 

 the vinegar. The higher the percentage of acetic acid, the greater the preservative 

 power of the vinegar; about 15 per cent of this acid is required to stop bacterial 

 growth. Since only the very strongest vinegars contain this much acetic acid, it is 

 evident that weaker vinegars are not able to preserve fish indefinitely in open 

 containers. However, vinegars containing 5 per cent or more of this component 

 will retard spoilage for weeks and perhaps months if the fish are kept in cool 

 rooms. 



Russian Sardines. A considerable quantity of small sea herring or Russian 

 sardines is prepared in Germany, Russia, and to a small extent in America by first 

 salting the fish in strong salt brine, then cleaning and pickling them in spiced vine- 

 gar. The small, fresh round herring or sardines are placed in saturated salt brine 

 for about 10 days, or until they are thoroughly salted. The salted fish are then 

 beheaded, eviscerated, and washed in fresh water. After draining, the cleaned 

 fish are sorted for size; the various sizes are then packed separately into kegs or 

 other containers. After various spices, such as allspice, chile pepper, cloves, ginger, 

 coriander seed, and capers, are added, the kegs are filled with vinegar. Bay 

 leaves, onions, and horse-radish are also used to flavor the pickled fish. The mate- 

 rials recommended for preserving 120 pounds of fish by this method are: vinegar, 

 2 gallons; allspice, 1.5 pounds; sliced onions, 4 pounds; sliced horseradish, 2 

 pounds; bay leaves, 2 pounds; cloves, 0.5 pound; ginger, 0.5 pound; chile pepper, 

 0.5 pound; coriander seed, 0.5 pound; and capers, 2.5 ounces. Fish prepared in this 

 manner should be kept for a week to a month before being marketed. Such pickled 

 sardines will keep for a year or more if stored in a cool place. 



Fried Marinated Fish. A considerable quantity of fish are preserved in Europe 

 by first being fried in oil and then marinated. Young herring, sardines, anchovies, 

 or any small food fish may be preserved by this process. The fish are cleaned, 

 washed, and then dried for about an hour in the open air. After drying, the small 

 fish are fried in hot oil, cooled, and allowed to drain. The fried fish are packed in 

 barrels, kegs, glass jars, or other containers and covered with hot spiced vinegar 

 containing some salt. After standing for a short time the containers are closed and 

 the fish are ready for shipment. Fish preserved in this way will keep for a long 

 period if strong vinegar is used for preparing the pickle. 



Bismarck Herring. True marinated fish, according to the Germans, are those 

 which are cured with strong salt and vinegar pickles, without being cooked. Ex- 

 amples of the German products are Bismarck herring, mustard or Kaiser-Friedrich 

 herring, and Russian sardines. The most important of these are Bismarck herring 

 and Russian sardines. A few American packers have realized the demand for 

 these products and have packed limited quantities, but the chief industry is in 

 Germany and the U.S.S.R. 



In Germany Bismarck herring are prepared from herring of a uniform size. The 



