b THE SALTING OF FISH. 



There is a lamentable lack of control over the salt-fish product 

 produced in any plant. In some places the standard of quality is a 

 white, colorless fish. Yet in those localities it is doubtful whether 

 the fish salters understand the factors controlling whiteness. In 

 other localities a very hard, rigid fish is desired. In such regions 

 there is a great demand for Turks Island salt, for it is quite gen- 

 erally understood that this salt produces a hard fish, although very 

 few understand why. Before this experimental work had been fol- 

 lowed two weeks the experimenter learned that the qualities of the 

 finished product, such as color and hardness, could be controlled en- 

 tirely. This alone made the work worth while. 



It has long been known that it is exceedingly difficult to salt fish 

 in the ordinary way during hot weather, and few attempt it. Ap- 

 parently no one had tried to find out why fish spoil so quickly while 

 being salted during the summer. 



For centuries fish have been cured either in brine or in dry salt 

 without the addition of brine. There has been much discussion con- 

 cerning the value of the two methods. It was, therefore, worth while 

 to determine the relative merits of the two methods of applying salt 

 to fish, even though no information relevant to the problem under 

 consideration should be obtained. 



The inexactness of the present methods has been pointed out to 

 show the need for such experimental work as is reported in this 

 paper. Correct interpretations of experimental work should lead to 

 more exact procedure in salting fish. A more uniform product should 

 be obtained. The results of the experimental work should explain 

 the reason for some of the methods in use to-day. The consideration 

 of the scientific aspect of fish salting should bring forth a spirit of 

 research for better salt fish. There should be a demand for high 

 standards for salted fish. At present in some parts of the country 

 the salt-fish buyers have practicallj^ no standards for estimating the 

 quality of the salt-fish product. This is in part because of the diffi- 

 culty m estimating differences in quality of salt fish. 



At the present time (summer of 1919) the price of salt river her- 

 ring is very low. This is chiefly because the quality of salted herring 

 sold during the past few years has been so poor. The salt river her- 

 ring on the market has a very strong " wild-game " taste. If certain 

 precautions were taken, this could be entirely avoided. The resultant 

 product would then be of much better quality than that to which the 

 public is accustomed. It is doubtful if a better price could be ob- 

 tained for salt river herring under present conditions. If higher 

 standards were demanded, however, it should sell for a higher price. 



In North Carolina and Virginia the buying public has become so 

 accustomed to purchasing very hard, dry fish that soft fish in brine 

 will not sell, although it may be better in quality. There is little 

 ground for the argument that dry, hard fish is of greater culinary 

 value. On the other hand, without investigation it would seem rea- 

 sonable that a wet, soft fish would be more palatable when cooked 

 than a fish " as hard as a board." 



Most fish salters are aware of the fact that they must not store their 

 fish in hot places during the summer months; yet no attempt has 

 been made to determine the best conditions for storing salted fish. 

 Fish have been stored both dry (" tight packed," packed in layers 



