MAINE SARDINE INDUSTRY. 67 



over the flame, stirring constantly with a thermometer, with the 

 following results : 



Corn oil did not boil at 265° C. (509° F.). An odor not disagreeable and hardly- 

 characteristic of corn appeared at about 150° C. (302° P.). At 230°-240° C. (446°-464° 

 F.) copious fumes with a slightly irritating, pungent, penetrating odor appeared. 



Summer yellow cottonseed oil did not boil at 265° C. (509° F.). A characteristic 

 odor appeared at 165° C. (329° F.). Fumes, slight in quantity compared with corn 

 oil, but more penetrating, appeared at 245° C. (473° F.). 



Winter yellow cottonseed oil did not boil at 265° C. (509° F.). A slight characteristic 

 odor appeared at 160° C, (320° F.). Fumes, slight in amount and with no more 

 odor than that obtained from the oil when heated at 160° C, appeared at 250° C. 

 (482° P.). 



The results of these tests show that corn oil of the quality rep- 

 resented by these samples compares favorably with cottonseed oil. 

 It does not stand heating to a high temperature quite as well as the 

 winter yellow variety, but is equal, if not superior, to the summer 

 yellow grade, particularly when heated at a lower temperature, 

 around 150° to 165° C. (302° to 329° F.). Apparently corn oil 

 breaks down a little more rapidly when heated at the higher tem- 

 peratures. 



When tested by the Kreis reaction for rancidity upon exposure to 

 the air, each oil gave a negative test at first. On standing in uncov- 

 ered beakers for one and two days, corn oil failed to show a test for 

 rancidity at the expiration of 24 hours, the winter yellow cottonseed 

 oil gave a positive test at the end of 24 hours, and the summer yellow 

 cottonseed oil gave an intensely positive test. At the end of 48 

 hours the corn oil showed only a slight positive test for rancidity by 

 this reaction, while both the winter and summer yellow oils were 

 intensely positive. With respect to the development of rancidity 

 on exposure to the air, corn oil appears to be far superior to cottonseed 

 oil. 



EFFECT ON FLAVOR OF SARDINES. 



During the seasons of 1913 and 1914 a number of small packs using 

 various kinds of oil — raisin, olive, peanut, winter yellow cottonseed, 

 summer yellow cottonseed, and corn — were made. Tests with the 

 raisin oil were at once abandoned, as its odor and sweet flavor made 

 it entirely unsuited for use with fish. All the methods of packing in 

 vogue at that time were employed, as well as the process of baking 

 the fish before packing them. Samples of the packs in these oils, 

 with the exception of raisin oil, were submitted to different people 

 for an opinion as to the quality and taste, the samples submitted to 

 each person or group being selected from the same pack, in which 

 the source and treatment of the fish were identically the same, with 

 the exception of the kind of oil used: 



By all but one or two the samples packed in corn oil were pro- 

 nounced superior to those packed in cottonseed oil. Some even prefer- 



