46 MASS. EXPERIMENT STATION BULLETIN 428 



The color of home-canned beets was influenced by the variety of the beet used. 

 It is recommended that, for a home-canned product of good red color, the Detroit 

 Red or Detroit Dark Red variety be used. 



In controlled processing studies with green beans those processed in a pressure 

 canner were superior in color, flavor, and texture to similar beans processed in a 

 boiling water bath. 



Home Freezing — Fruit and Vegetable Variety Studies. (W. B. Esselen, Jr. 

 J. J. Powers, K. Lawler, F. P. Griffiths, and J. E. W. McConnell.) Through the 

 cooperation of the Olericulture and Pomology Departments tests were made to 

 study the suitability of different varieties of Massachusetts-grown peaches and 

 vegetables for home freezing. The products were frozen by accepted techniques 

 and after storage for six months were judged for quality by a tasting panel, on a 

 basis of flavor, texture, and color. Of 15 varieties of peaches Vedette, Valiant, 

 Golden Globe, Red Rose, Ideal, Radiance, and New Jersey 116 were considered 

 very good; Hale Haven, New Jersey 66, Ambergem, Summer Crest, Golden East, 

 Champion, Golden Glow, and Delicious were considered good. On a basis of 

 flavor. Summer Crest, Vedette, and Ideal were preferred. 



Seven varieties of green peppers (King of the North, California Wonder, 

 World Beater, Harris Early Grand, Harris Wonder, Waltham Beauty, and 

 Charter Oak) were frozen, both raw and blanched. All varieties yielded a satis- 

 factory frozen product. 



Eight varieties of sweet corn were frozen, both on the cob and as whole-kernel 

 corn. When frozen on the cob Seneca Dawn, Span Cross, Early Golden, and 

 Golden Cross Bantam were very good; North Star, Narcross, Sugar and Gold, 

 and Seneca 60 were considered good. In general the cut whole-kernel corn yielded 

 a better product than that frozen on the cob. When cut off the cob in the whole 

 kernel form Early Golden was considered to be excellent; Seneca Dawn, Span 

 Cross, North Star, Golden Cross Bantam, and Narcross were graded very good; 

 and Sugar and Gold and Seneca 60 were considered good. 



Twenty' different strains and varieties of carrots as represented by Morse's 

 Bunching, Chantenay, Nantes, Long Change, Oxheart, Hutchinson, Danvers 

 Half Long, and Imperator were all satisfactory when frozen. 



Tests with summer squash indicated that this vegetable when frozen had only 

 a fair flavor and would not be acceptable to many people. 



Fishery By-Products. (F. P. Griffiths.) It was found that the common female 

 sculpin or blow fish could be well utilized as a source of eggs for caviar. Caviar 

 so prepared was very tasty and of excellent qualit}'. About 10 percent of the 

 weight of the fish is roe. The tail portion of the fish may be skinned and makes a 

 very edible food. By utilizing both the roe and the tail, the sculpin should have 

 commercial possibilities. 



Venting Community Cannery-Type Retorts. (W. H. Fitzpatrick, J. E. W. 

 McConnell, and W. B. Esselen, Jr.) (Cooperative project with the School Lunch 

 and Distribution Branch of the Office of Supply (CCC), W.F.A.) The so-called 

 No. 2 and No. 3 size retorts used in community canneries are intermediate in 

 size between the pressure canners used in home canning and the large retorts 

 used in commercial canneries. Studies were carried out to determine proper 

 venting procedures for No. 2 and No. 3 retorts. Over 200 venting and heat 

 distribution tests were made on No. 2 size self-heating and steam retorts and a 

 No. 3 size steam retort. The effect of different retort loads of cans and jars on 

 venting requirements was also studied. On a basis of the data obtained, recom- 

 mendations for venting community cannery retorts have been made to the War 

 Food Administration. 



