[HARRISON & KENNEDY] DISCOLOURATION OF CODFISH 149 



Therefore, all measures taken to deal with this problem must 

 provide for: — • 



1. A supply of salt free from the red organism. 



2. The destruction of the red organism in the curing factories 

 wherever it has infected buildings, utensils, etc. 



1. Recommendations Regarding Salt.- — -Mined salt of suitable size 

 of grain should be used until a supply of solar salt free from the red 

 organism can be secured. 



Measures should be taken to ascertain the duration of life of the 

 red organism in tropical salt on sale in Canada. Some of the 

 manufacturers claim that such salt stored for three to six months is 

 free from red organisms. This contention has not been corroborated 

 by our laboratory tests. 



Importers of solar salt might sterilize this product by kiln heating. 

 A comparatively low, dry heat is necessary^ — ^100° C. for thirty 

 minutes. 



2. Recommendations Regarding Cleaning of Curing Establishmetits. 

 — All curing establishments which have used solar or tropical salts 

 should clean and disinfect thoroughly all material which has come 

 into contact with salt or fish. 



Steam, if available, may be used for this purpose. Puncheons, 

 barrels, etc., should be steamed inside and out, also all utensils, 

 racks, etc. 



All parts of the factory that have become infected should be 

 washed well in fresh water. This will have two results : the removal 

 of salt from woodwork, thus preventing the organism from growing, 

 and the fresh water causes the disintegration of the red organism, 

 breaking it down into a slimy mass. 



All places infected, and all utensils may be washed in a dis- 

 infecting solution of one part sulphurous acid in 50 parts of water. 



A good whitewash should be applied as soon as the cleaning up 

 has been effected. 



Care should be exercised to keep the premises and utensils clean, 

 all refuse and offal should be frequently removed, and the floors 

 scrubbed and washed often. 



12. References. 



1. Curtus Rufus — Hist. Alex. Chap. 2, Bk. 4. 



2. Farlow, W. G. — On the Nature of the Peculiar Reddening of 



Salted Codfish during the Summer Season (1878), U.S. Fish 

 Commission, Report of the Commissioner for 1878, p. 969. 



