No abstract

The effect of preprocess holding conditions (3 and 12% brine at 7.2 and 0.6"C) on the quality of canned sardines (Clupea harengus) was examined. The sardines appeared to have a relatively short shelf life and had to be canned within 36 hr when lightly salted (3% brine) and held at 7.2"C. At a lower temperature (0.6"C) and a higher salt concentration (12% brine) the sardines could be held up to 3 days. Low viable bacterial counts detected during storage experiments indicated spoilage not to be primarily due to bacterial activity. Sensory evaluation of the raw sardines could not be used with any accuracy to predict quality of the canned product, because raw sardines, which were still considered acceptable before canning, resulted in an unacceptable product. Of the objective quality tests performed on raw sardines (TMA, TBA, tyrosine and pH) only TMA-N content appeared to possess high accuracy (P 4 0.001) in predicting quality of the canned products.

The major US potato varieties grown in various locations were analyzed for their contents in water-soluble vitamins both at harvest time and during subsequent storage. Compositional ranges of each vitamin were quite large. Only a few varietal and location effects were detected. In the case of ascorbic acid, what appeared to be a location effect could likely have been the result of differences in harvest time of the samples. Prolonged storage had little overall effect on thiamine and riboflavin. It resulted in a sharp initial decrease in ascorbic acid, significant decreases in niacin and folic acid, and a significant and large increase in Vitamin B.6. Storage temperature in the range of 38"-45°F did not affect the vitamin composition, nor did reconditioning of the tubers at room temperature following cold storage.