V 



GENERAL CONCLUSIONS. 



I. Influence of impui^ities in salt in salting fish. — Calcium and 

 magnesium salts and sulphates, as impurities in salt, retard the 

 penetration of salt into fish. Salts containing these impurities, there- 

 fore, cause fish to spoil during salting at a lower temperature than 

 salts not containing such impurities. Of these three impurities, 

 calcium is the only one present in commercial salts in large enough 

 quantities to have an appreciable effect on the quality of the salt. 



II. A coTivparisoiv of the efficiencry of brine and dry salt for salting 

 fish. — Fish packed in dry salt, without any addition of brine, may 

 be kept at a higher temperature than fish salted in brine, for less 

 decomposition takes place if no brine be added. The dry-salt method 

 is the more economical method of the two. 



III. Influence of method of cleaning fish for salting. — The re- 

 moval of all blood and viscera, including roe and milt, is absolutely 

 essential for the salting of fish at high temperatures. Blood spoils 

 at a temperature at least 25° F. lower than the spoilage temperature 

 of the flesh of fish. 



IV. Influence of freshness in salting fish. — During warm weather 

 freshness of fish is essential to successful salting. However, much 

 staler fish may be salted if all blood, roe, and milt are removed in 

 cleaning. 



RELATIVE IMPORTANCE OF FACTORS. 



The predominant factor in controlling the qualities of the salt- 

 fish product and the maximum temperature of salting is the thorough 

 cleaning of the fish, so as to effect the removal of all viscera and 

 blood. If fish are perfectly cleaned, it appears possible to obtain a 

 white, sweet-tasting salt fish at any American summer temperature. 

 If the fish are not perfectly cleaned, it is impossible to salt them at 

 any temperature averaging above 70° F. by any known method of 

 salting, legardless of the kind of salt used or the mode of applica-- 

 tion of the salt. 



The factor of second importance is freshness. When the tem- 

 perature of the fish is above 70° F., the fish must be salted the same 

 day that they are caught, if they are to be successfully cured. At 

 lower temperatures this factor is of less importance, until at 32° F. 

 this factor is practically eliminated. That is to say, at this tempera- 

 ture fish may be kept for long periods'and yet be salted successfully. 



Next in line of importance comes the method of application of 

 salt. Fish iced for two days (see p. 30) may be salted at about 

 4° higher temperature by the application of dry salt rather than 

 brine. Fine salt must be used for small fish. 



Of next importance is the composition of the salt. This factor 

 may be easily controlled by the purchase of salt of known purity. 

 This affects the physical qualities of the salt fish. Commercial salts 

 high in calcium lower the maximum temperature at which fish may 

 be salted by any known method. 



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