40 



COD AND OTHER SALT FISH FOR THE MARKET. 



surface, the effort being to apply from 0.3 to 0.4 per cent. The pack- 

 ages of fish bear the following label : 



INSTRUCTIONS FOR REMOVING PRESERVATIVE FROM SALT FISH. 



To keep these goods in perfect condition, they are cured with pure sea salt and 

 contain four-tenths of 1 per cent of benzoate of soda. Make nse of the following 

 instructions to remove the preservative: Rinse the fish at least five minutes. 

 Then soak fish in a proportion of 1 pound of fish to 1 gallon of water for an 

 hour. Repeat this process in the same quantity of new fresh water. In cook- 

 ing add salt, if the fish is too fresh. 



Samples of the fish were submitted for the determination of the 

 quantity of sodium benzoate present, and the results are shown in the 

 following table : 



Amount of sodium benzoate on washed and unwashed fish cakes. 



These figures indicate that all of the sodium benzoate was not re- 

 moved by the washing and that the original experiments upon which 

 the instructions were based had been made upon fresh material and 

 not upon packages which had been in commerce for a couple of weeks 

 or more. Sodium benzoate in small quantities is not a good preserva- 

 tive of neutral or alkaline foods and, therefore, it is not very efficient 

 for the preservation of codfish. 



BACTERIOLOGY OF REDDENED CODFISH. 



EARLIER INVESTIGATIONS. 



Codfish and some other salt -cured fish are subject to spoilage when 

 exposed to a temperature above 65 F. The spoilage is manifested 

 by the surface of the fish turning red and emitting a foul odor. The 

 discoloration was first studied by Dr. W. G. Farlow, a who ascribed 

 it to a fungus known as Clathrocystis roseo-persicina. At that time 

 the technique of bacteriology was undeveloped, so that the findings 

 on the organisms are subject to revision; however, the general obser- 



U. S. Fish Commission Report, 1878. p. 009. 1880. 



