419 



Mr. Lennon. "What other type of fish other than hake can be used 

 satisfactorily under the accepted standards that Food and Drug just 

 approved. 



Mr. PAKRiAisr. Strictly speaking, only members of the hake family. 



Mr. Lennon. I am advised that some 25 percent of most of our com- 

 mercial fish catches are wasted. Do you have any facts on that? 



Mr. Parman. Well, I cannot speak to that particular question ; but 

 I know that one of the areas of research we must get into is on the 

 utilization of wasted catches both here and overseas as a source for 

 fish protein concentrate, and to get the data necessary to convince the 

 regulatory bodies that this is a safe product. 



A very typical example of that is in the shrimp-catching areas. They 

 often catch as much mixed fish as shrimp. The great majority of that 

 is thrown overboard. If that could be converted to fish protein concen- 

 trate, there would be an economic gain. 



One thing we have to consider in the fish protein concentrate busi- 

 ness is a cheap source of fish. We cannot use expensive fish. We have 

 to use something caught cheaply and in large quantities. 



Mr. Lennon. I do not suppose you could single out America or 

 India or Africa where this product is needed most, could you? 



Mr. Parman. I am sorry, I didn't get the full question. 



Mr. Lennon. I do not suppose you could single out any specific area 

 in the world where such a program is needed most? 



Mr. Parman. The demonstration countries, which we are in the 

 process of picking out, have as one of the criteria we use, the need for 

 such a program. 



Mr. Lennon. It has also been attempted to use this in India ? 



Mr. Parman. It has been worked a little bit. But in India you have 

 a very difficult problem. I have had a number of months' experience in 

 India and I don't have an answer to it. That is the problem of vege- 

 tarianism, which does not occur in pockets, but broadly throughout the 

 population. 



Mr. Lennon. Where it is really needed most it is somewhat unlikely 

 to be accepted generally ? 



Mr. Parman. Yes. The true vegetarian Hindu won't touch it. 



Mr. Lennon. Even though a small percentage of them are 

 acquainted with other products? 



Mr. Parman. Yes, sir. 



Mr. Lennon. I do not suppose there is any danger in the use of the 

 product, getting a higher percentage of it blended with your grain 

 cereals and other things of that kind ? 



Mr. Parman. No, sir. 



Mr. Lennon. I think we can recognize the gentleman from Alabama. 



Mr. Edwards. I have been learning a lot but I have no questions, Mr. 

 Chairman. 



Mr. Lennon. I wonder, gentlemen, if there is any additional infor- 

 mation that you would like to add to what you said here. We would be 

 delighted to have it for the record because the committee was tre- 

 mendously interested in the hearings last year on the passage of the 

 so-called fish protein concentrate bill. We would like to know if you 

 have anything further. 



I am advised that on this problem AID will announce the country 

 selected for the U.S. fish protein concentrate experiment sometime 

 within maybe a month or two. 



