MAINE SARDINE INDUSTRY. 



69 



sauce is prepared by an independent company located in one of the 

 principal centers of the industry, and a certain amount is furnished 

 by a well-known sauce and spice manufacturer. The results of the 

 analysis of samples of the three sauces most widely used are given 

 in Table 28. 



Table 28. — Composition of mustard sauce. 



Total 

 solids. 



Salt 

 (NaCl). 



Acid, as 

 acetic. 



Total 

 nitrogen 



(N). 



Total 



protein 



(Nx6.25). 



Nitrogen 



in salt 



free 



solids. 



Mustard 

 and tur- 

 meric, i 



Per cent. 

 11.83 

 12.00 

 14.49 



Per cent. 

 3.36 

 4.49 

 2.75 



Per cent. 

 3.12 

 1.42 

 2.63 



Per cent. 

 0.395 

 .368 

 . 523 



Per cent. 

 2.47 

 2.30 

 3.27 



Per cent . 

 4.67 

 4.90 

 4.46 



Per cent. 

 6.00 

 5.21 

 8.47 



i Total solids — (salt -(-protein). 



In the preparation of the sauce represented by the second sample 

 a smaller amount of vinegar, or one of weaker strength, was used, 

 while in that of the sauce represented by the third sample a larger 

 amount of mustard or turmeric was employed. These samples were 

 also examined microscopically. 1 The first two samples contained a 

 great deal of turmeric and more red pepper than is commonly found 

 in a mustard sauce of this grade. The last one contained more 

 turmeric than either of the other two and not quite as much red 

 pepper. The amount of turmeric in this sauce is excessive, compared 

 with that in the other two sauces. 



PROCESSING THE SARDINES. 



The method of processing or sterilizing the sealed packed cans by 

 heating them hi tanks of boiling water is practically universal in the 

 Maine sardine industry. At the time these investigations were made 

 one of the canneries employed for this purpose retorts in which the 

 contents could be heated under pressure. 



The length of time given to processing varied widely among the 

 different canneries. The usual period was from If to 2\ or 2\ hours, 

 the variation depending on the size of the cans and the canner's idea 

 of the time necessary for sterilization. An instance was found in 

 which the canner was giving only one hour to processing in a tank 

 of boiling water. 



To obtain data which might be helpful in determining the length 

 of time of processing, the temperature of the inside of cans of sar- 

 dines, as ordinarily processed in boiling water baths, was determined. 

 The results, given in Table 29, show the time necessary to raise the 

 initial temperature of the inside of the can to practically the boiling 

 point of water. 



1 The examination was made by B. Silberberg, of the Microchemical Laboratory of the Bureau of 

 Chemistry. 



