68 BULLETIN 908, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 
red the corn-oil to the olive-oil pack. Eliminating the olive-oil packs 
from consideration, there was no question of the superiority of the 
corn-oil packs in the rich flavor imparted to the fish and the absence 
of any characteristic taste of the oil. The flavor of the fish in the 
corn-oil packs was not masked by the oil, but rather improved by it. 
In most cases, the winter-pressed oil was pronounced second in 
quality to corn oil, prime summer yellow oil being classed third. - 
The packs composed of baked fish and of fish fried in oil were far 
superior to the products prepared by other methods which did not 
bring out the delicate fish flavor. The better flavor of the fish, 
developed by frying or baking, may be conserved for the canned 
product by the use of corn oil. 
Canneries equipped with the so-called Ferris wheel driers can 
utilize this equipment to excellent advantage by grilling the fish 
before frying and packing them, thus attaining the very best flavor. 
EFFECT ON APPEARANCE OF SARDINES. 
It was found also that in packmg sardines in corn oil or the better 
grade of cottonseed oil, stearin did not settle out during cold weather. 
Sardines packed in prime summer yellow cottonseed oil when opened 
in cold weather present a very unattractive appearance, due to the 
white film or mass of stearm over the fish. It would seem wise, there- 
fore, to pack sardines for shipment into cold climates in the winter- 
pressed variety of cottonseed oil or in corn oil and use prime summer 
yellow cottonseed oil for goods going to warm regions. 
Tomato SAUCE. 
Sardines in tomato sauce have not been packed in Maine to any 
great extent. During the season of 1913 an attempt was made by one 
of the canning companies to pack a few cases in this way, but the 
undertaking -proved unsuccessful. It is understood that several 
other companies are now packing a few sardines and herrings in 
tomato sauce. In consideration of the demand for this product, it 
is strange that herring and sardines in tomato sauce are not prepared 
in greater quantity in Maine. That no special difficulty is encoun- 
tered in the process, and the product is very attractive, is shown by 
the fact that packers in other localities put out a great many cans 
of this article. 
MustTARD SAUCE. 
It has been estimated that 25 per cent of the season’s pack of Maine 
sardines is put up in mustard sauce. A large part of the sauce used 
for this purpose is prepared in mustard sauce mills, owned and oper- 
ated by the sardine companies. In one instance several companies 
operate a mustard sauce plant on a cooperative basis. Part of the 
