84 



COMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW 



Vol. 28, No. 8 



samples are examined for factors 1, 2, 

 and 3 in Table 1 In the thawed state. 

 When the product Is lot Inspected, the 

 samples are examined for factors 1, 2, 

 and 3 In Table 1 in the frozen state. 



(1) "Arrangement of product" refers 

 to the packing of the product in a sym- 

 metrical manner, bellies or backs all 

 facing in the same direction, flsh neatly 

 dovetailed. 



(2) "Condition of the packaging ma- 

 terial" refers to the condition of the card- 

 board or other packaging material of the 

 primary container. If the fish is allowed 

 to stand after packing and prior to freez- 

 ing, moisture from the flsh will soak into 

 the packaging material and cause de- 

 terioration of that material. 



(3) "Dehydration" refers to the 

 presence of dehydrated (water-removed) 

 tissue on the exposed surfaces of the 

 whiting. Slight dehydration Is surface 

 dehydration which is not color-masking. 

 Deep dehydration is color-masking and 

 cannot be removed by scraping with a 

 flngemail. 



(c) Examination of sample, thawed 

 state. Thawed state means the state of 

 the product after being thawed. Thaw- 

 ing the sample is best accomplished by 

 enclosing the sample in a film type bag 

 and immersing in an agitated water bath 

 held at 68° F., ±2" F. Allow the prod- 

 uct to remain immersed until thawed. 

 Alternatively when the facilities are 

 lacking for water thawing, the sample 

 may be thawed by slacking it out at a 

 temperature between 30° to 40* F. on an 

 aluminum tray from 2 hours for a I'/z- 

 pound sample to 8 hours for a 10-pound 

 sample. 



(1) "Minimum size" refers to the size 

 of the individual fish in the sample. Flsh 

 2 ounces or over are considered accept- 

 able. Smaller fish cannot be cooked 

 uniformly with acceptable size flsh. 

 Separate the flsh of unacceptable size, 

 divide their number by the weight of 

 the sample in pounds, and apply to 

 Table 1. Example — four fish of unac- 

 ceptable size in a 5 -pound package is % 

 =0.8, a 10 point deduction. 



(2) "Uniformity." From the flsh re- 

 maining, select by count 10 percent 

 (minimum of one flsh) of the largest 

 and 10 percent (minimum of one flsh) of 

 the smallest and divide the largest 

 weight by the smallest weight to get a 

 weight ratio. 



(3) "Heading" refers to the condition 

 of the flsh after they have been headed. 

 The flsh should be cleanly headed behind 

 the gills and pectoral fins. No gills, gill 

 bones, or pectoral fins should remain 

 after the flsh have been headed. 



(4) "Evisceration" refers to the clean- 

 ing of the belly cavities of the flsh. All 

 spawn, viscera, and belly strings should 

 be removed. 



Table 1.— Schedi-i.e of Point Dedi'ctions pbb Sample 

 frozen state (lot inspection onat) 





Factors scored 



Method of determining score 



Deduct 



1 



Arrangement of product i 



Small degree: lOpercent of flsh twisted or bellies and backs 



not facing the same direction. 

 Large degree: More than 10 percent of flsh twisted, void 



present or some flsh cross packed. 



2 

 5 



2 



Condition of packaging Coverall 

 assessment). 



Poor: Packaging material has been soaked, softened or 

 deteriorated. 



2 



3 



Dehydration 



Small degree: Shght dehydration of the exposed surfaces. 

 Large degree : Deep dehydration of the exposed surfaces 



2 

 5 



THAWED STATE 



4 



Minimum sizo: Fish 2 oz. or 

 over are of acceptable size. 



Number of flsh less than ^ ml. per lb. 



6 

 10 

 20 

 30 











5 



Uniformity: Weight ratio of 

 flsh remaining. The 10 per- 

 cent largest flsh divided oy 

 the 10 percent smaDest flsh.' 



Weight ratio 10 percent smallest and 10 percent largest: 



2 

 5 

 10 

 20 

 30 













6 



Heading ' 





5 

 16 



Moderate degree: Over 10 percent of tt-i carelessly cut 



7 



Evisceration (overall assess- 

 ment). 





2 

 10 

 30 



Moderate degiee: Moderate amounts of spawn, viscera, etc- 





8 



Scaling ' 



Small degree: 10 percent of flsh not well scaled ^ 



2 

 5 







9 



Color of the exposed surfaces 

 (overall as? essment) . 





2 

 5 







10 



Bruises and spilt or broken 

 skin. 



Presence of bruises and/or broken or split skin per pound; 



1 

 2 

 4 

 7 

 10 













11 



Texture: (overall assessment) 



Small degree: Moderately dry, tough, mushy, rubbery, 



watery, stringy. 

 Large degree: Excessively dry, tough, mushy, rubbery, 



watery, stringy. 



5 

 16 



• 10 percent of flsh refers to 10 percent by count rounded to nearest whole flsh. 



(5) "Scaling" refers to the satisfac- 

 tory removal of scales from the fish. 



(6) "Color of the cut surfaces" refers 

 to the color of the cut surfaces of the 

 flsh after heading and other processing. 



(7) "Bruises and broken or split skin" 

 refers to bruises over one-half square 

 inch in area and splits or breaks in the 

 skin more than one-half inch in length 

 which are not part of the processing. 



(d) Examination of sample, cooked 

 state. Cooked state means the state of 

 the sample after being cooked. Cook- 

 ing the sample is best accomplished by 

 inserting the sample into a film type bag 

 and submerging it Into boiling water for 

 from 18-20 minutes. A minimum of 

 three flsh per sample unit shall be cooked. 



(1) "Texture defects" refers to the 

 absence of normal textural properties of 

 the cooked flsh flesh, which are tender- 



ness, firmness, and moistness without 

 excess water. Texture defects are dry- 

 ness, softness, toughness, and rubbery- 

 ness. 



(e) General definitions. 



(1) Small (overall assessment) refers 

 to a condition that is noticeable but is 

 only slightly objectionable. 



(2) Moderate (overall assessment) 

 refers to a condition that is distinctly 

 noticeable but is not seriously objection- 

 able. 



(3) Large (overall assessment) refers 

 to a condition which is both distinctly 

 noticeable and seriously objectionable. 



§ 271.25 Tolerances for certification of 

 officially drawn samples. 



The sample rate and grades of speciflc 

 lots shall be certified in accordance with 

 Part 260 of this chapter (Regulations 

 Governing Processed Fishery Products) . 



Note: See Commercial Fisheries Review , July 1966 p. 101. 



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