MAINE SARDINE INDUSTRY. 



87 



in the ammonia and amines in the viscera and contents, as a result of 

 decomposition. The 11.6 mg of ammonia nitrogen per 100 grams of 

 fish in the stomach and intestinal contents increased on standing for 

 6 hours to 16.3 mg, and on standing for 20 hours to 21 mg over the 

 amount found in the fresh fish. 



In still another experiment, the viscera and contents of the fresh 

 fish contained 12.6 mg of ammoniacal material as nitrogen per 100 

 grams of the sample when fresh, 14 at the end of 4 hours of standing, 

 15 after 6 hours, 17.7 after 8 hours, and 22.3 after 12 hours. 



A preliminary experiment to determine the amount of ammonia 

 and amines formed when fish decompose showed that the greater 

 part of these alkaline bases formed during decomposition pass into 

 the solution when the spoiled fish are placed in pickle. These results, 

 coupled with the condition, approximating that of salt fish, when 

 fish for sardines are held too long in pickle or in dry salt, indicate that 

 a transfusion of material from sound fish into the brine or pickle 

 occurs. 



Experiments were conducted to ascertain the amount of decompo- 

 sition which occurs in the viscera and contents of fish kept in pickle 

 for various periods of time. The data thus obtained are given in 

 Table 37. 



Table 37 .—Decomposition in viscera and contents offish kept in pickle. 





Before packing (raw viscera). 



After packing 



ind processing. 









Total 









Total 











volatile 









volatile 



In 









alkaline 









alkaline 



pickle. 









material 









material 





Water. 



Fat. 



Salt. 



(ammo- 

 nia and 

 amines) 

 per 100 

 grams. 



Water. 



Fat. 



Salt. 



(amnio- 

 nia and 

 amines) 

 per 100 

 grams. 



Hours. 



Per cent. 



Per cent. 



Per cent. 



Mg. 



Per cent. 



Per cent. 



Per cent. 



Mg. 



Lotl: 























56.58 



32.00- 



0.42 



15.2 



58.61 



19.77 



0.49 



40.8 



6 



56.70 



26.62 



2.46? 



16.3 



43.31 



28.46 



3.91 



46.6 



12 



54.40 



25.96 



4 53 



19 8 



45.76 



28.16 



8.69 



43.7 



24 



57.47 



27.12 



4.22 



28.0 



47.96 



27.32 



4.21 



42.7 



Lot 2: i 























50.93 



38.08 



.29 



13.4 



56.70 



23.89 



.23 



35.6 



6 



51.06 



37.24 



1.71 



18.3 



53.62 



26.58 



1.56 



39.0 



12 



49.53 



35.08 



2.93 



38.4 



50.40 



26.62 



3.32 



47.8 



24 



51.62 



32.30 



3.55 



36.1 



44.92 



30.87 



3.87 



45.4 



i Slightly feedy. 



The decomposition of the raw viscera increased markedly in both 

 lots of fish during the time they were held in pickle, lot 2, made up 

 from slightly feedy fish, showing the greater increase. The amount 

 of volatile alkaline material increased markedly in both lots after 

 processing. The increase due to processing was sufficient in the 

 case of lot 1 to mask that due to the decomposition found at any 



