24 BULLETIN 196, U. S. DEPAETMENT OP AGEICULTUEE. 



more fully. The figures in the table also indicate why the figures which are given by 

 the packer may not agree with those obtained by a purchaser or a food ofhcial. The 

 packer does his testing soon after the pack is made and the broker or customer at a 

 later date. 



The rate of heating soft fruits has a marked effect upon the fill. This is shown very 

 clearly in the packing of cherries. T\'lien a hot 50° or 60° sirup is placed upon Royal 

 Anne cherries, exhausted and processed in the usual way, it causes heavy shrinkage 

 and decided toughening. If the same sirup were applied partly cooled and were then 

 gradually heated to the boiling point, taking from 45 to 60 minutes, there would be 

 very little shrinkage or toughening of the fruit. The same principle holds true with 

 other fruits, much of the shrinkage being due to the rapidity with which the work is 

 done. 



EFFECT OF SHIPPING. 



One lot of fruit was sent from San Francisco to La Fayette, Ind., by express; another 

 by freight directly, and a third by freight via Panama and New York, while a fourth 

 was held as a control. These lots contained apricots, blackberries, grapes, peaches, 

 plums (green gage and yellow egg), and apples. The grades were water, standard, 

 and extra standard for each line. Later the experimental pack was shipped to Wash- 

 ington. Fruits having a fairly strong skin, such as grapes and green gage plums, were 

 affected to a slight extent by shipping, while very soft fruits, such as loganberries and 

 yellow egg plums, suffered considerable mashing, so that upon draining the solids 

 occupied less space and weighed less than in the control lots. The loss in weight on 

 solids varied from 15 to 90 grams (one-half to 3 ounces) on the very soft fruits, the 

 heaviest loss always being in water or sirup under 30° Balling. 



EFFECT OF TIME OF HOLDING. 



There seems to be a general impression that canned foods deteriorate with age, but 

 upon this point little direct experimental evidence appears. In these experiments 

 Bome products have shown deterioration by losing color and flavor and becoming 

 more or less flabby. There is nothing to indicate that they have been injm-iously 

 affected, but they are lacking in attractiveness, which, after all, is an element of value 

 in food. Other products have shown a marked improvement on standing, particu- 

 larly in the development of a fine flavor. Just how much of these changes is due to 

 time has not been determined. Without doubt the process applied, the practice in 

 regard to cooling, whether promptly or not at all, and the temperature at which the 

 foods are held in storage are much more active forces in causing change, and it would 

 require a special set of experiments to determine the effect of time alone. The most 

 marked improvement in flavor was noted in apricots packed at a low temperature, 

 with very appreciable improvement in peaches, blackberries, and strawberries 

 ■packed at a low temperature and held for two years. A sirup of 20° or more served in 

 some cases as a protection in holding the fruit in a whole condition. The hea"vy sirup 

 was sufficiently viscous to prevent injury from jarring. The water-packed fruits 

 showed more breaking, increased turbidity of the liquor, and a tendency to settle to- 

 gether more than those with a medium or heavy sirup. The packer seldom has an 

 opportxmity to see his product after it has traveled a long distance, and would prob- 

 ably be greatly surprised at the condition of his lower grades as compared with their 

 appearance when they leave the warehouse. 



A proper sirup is a necessity in the packing of most fruits, and has become as much 

 an essential of the grade as the size and quality of the pieces. The sirup may vary 

 from very light to very heavy, or between 10° and 60° on the Balling scale. By com- 

 mon consent the sirups are generally made to be 10°, 20°, 30°, 40°, 50°, or 60° Balling, 



