602 MARINE PRODUCTS OF COMMERCE 



carton is filled with the necessary weight, it is sealed and placed in the storage 

 room until shipment. 



Within the past few months a package of frozen shrimp, known as "Fan Tail," 

 has been marketed. These shrimp are shelled, except for the tail fin; they are 

 rolled in batter of various ingredients and frozen ready to French fry in deep fat. 

 They are packed in 1-pound waxed cartons, having a cellophane window, and 

 are very popular. 



Freezing Cooked Shrimp 



Some of the peeled or shelled shrimp are cooked before freezing. The shrimp 

 are cooked in kettles or vats fitted with steam coils and containing a brine solution. 

 In diflFerent establishments the strength of the solution varies between 5 to 10 

 per cent salt; there is also a variation in the time of cooking. A brine solution of 

 15 per cent strength has been recommended for this purpose by some who have 

 investigated this method of preparing shrimp for freezing, but unless the cooking 

 time is reduced accordingly, deterioration in storage is more rapid. After cooking, 

 the shrimp are quickly cooled and packed in cartons of variousi size. The cartons 

 of frozen cooked shrimp are either stored for future market or are immediately 

 shipped for distribution. 



If the storage period of frozen cooked shrimp is prolonged, they become tough 

 and fibrous, generally deteriorating in quality. It is suggested that the cooking 

 time be held to a minimum, or until the meat is pink-colored and firm enough 

 to be handled. A time limit of not more than 4 minutes in boiling brine is sug- 

 gested. Immediately after the cooked shrimp are removed from the brine, they 

 should be immersed in cold rvmning water so that the cooking or blanching will 

 stop. If the brine bath is prepared in the early morning for use throughout the 

 day and is kept at a boiling temperature throughout the period of operation, a 

 considerable amount of water will evaporate. This will cause a constant increase 

 in the brine strength during the day. As a result those shrimp cooked in the early 

 morning will be of a different quality than those cooked just before operations 

 have ceased for the day. This can be remedied by checking the brine strength 

 with a salinometer at hourly intervals during the day and adding sufiicient water 

 to compensate for the water lost through evaporation. 



After cooling sufficiently they can be packed in various type packages and 

 placed either in a cooler or immediately in the freezer. A sealed moisture-vapor- 

 proof container is the best type package for shrimp. If these are not available, 

 then the shrimp should be either glazed in blocks or individually by dipping in 

 cold water immediately after freezing. 



The storage period for frozen cooked shrimp should not be longer than a 

 month. When stored longer than this, denaturation has progressed far enough 

 for the quality to be adversely afi^ected. They become tough and a loss of flavor 

 occurs. 



Shrimp-Peeling Device 



Within the last year a mechanical device for separating the meats from the 

 shell has been put into operation. The essential part of the machine is two sets 

 of soft rubber rollers. One set of them is driven by a motor, while the second is 

 operated by friction. 



