2014-02-17
696
Four means of preserving fish: freezing, drying, smoking and salting are widely used nowadays. Salting is both a method of preserving fish and preliminary operation to smoking and drying.
Salting of fish is the process of preservation in which salt is the chief preservative. Salt preserves fish by extracting water from them. If fish are packed in salt in a barrel the salt soon withdraws enough water from the fish to form sufficient brine to cover them. Simultaneously with the extraction of the water from the fish, salt passes into the tissues of the fish and soon the body juices have become a concentrated salt solution. When sufficient salt has passed into coagulant of the proteins coagulable by sodium chloride, the cells have shrunk because of the loss of a large part of water and condition of equilibrium is reached in which the concentration of the solution inside the cells of the fish tissues is the same as that of the brine, the salting process is complete and the fish is said to be "thoroughly struck" (thoroughly salted).
Salting prevents fish from spoilage. Most enzymes and bacteria are destroyed or rendered inactive by concentrated salt solutions, therefore salting preserves fish from autolytic and bacterial decomposition.
There are three methods of salting fish: brine-salting, dry-salting and mixed-salting.
Dry-salting. The cleaned and dressed or round fish are packed in barrels in layer between thin layer of salt. The salt extracts water form the fish to form brine or pickle, and the salt passes into the fish.
Brine-salting. The other general method of salting fish is by placing the fish in large barrels to cover them with brine and then to place a surplus of salt on the fish.
Mixed-salting. In small amount of strong brine is poured into the bottom of the barrel and fish is put in to form a thick mixture and the fish are entirely covered with brine. They are then spread with salt, and more fish are fed in the shallow layers interspread with layers of salt.
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Larger fish are placed in rows dry, and brine is admitted to the tank from a reservoir. With split fish the gills and belly cavity of each fish are stuffed with salt.
Exercise 4. Find the Russian equivalents for the following:
condition of equilibrium, to form a thick mixture, to be covered with brine, to prevent fish from spoilage, to extract water, dressed or round fish, split fish, to be stuffed with salt.
Exercise 5. Find the English equivalents for the following:
способ консервирования, предварительная операция, копчение, вяление, маринование, смешивание, погружение, заливка тузлуком, сухой посол, тузлучный посол, смешанный посол, различные способы.
Exercise 6. Complete the sentences using information from the text:
1. Most enzymes and bacteria are destroyed…
2. The salt extracts water form the fish to form…
3. There are three methods of salting fish…
4. They are then spread with salt, and…
5. Larger fish are placed…
6. Salting is both a method of…
7. The cleaned and dressed or round fish are…
Exercise 7. Fill in the blanks with prepositions from, of, with, by, to, in, into, on:
1. The other general method … salting fish is … placing the fish … large barrels.
2. Salting prevents fish … spoilage.
3. Simultaneously … the extraction … the water … the fish, salt passes … the tissues … the fish.
4. The other general method … salting fish is … placing the fish … large barrels to cover them … brine and then to place a surplus … salt … the fish.
5. The salt soon withdraws enough water … the fish to form sufficient brine.
Exercise 8. Say if the sentences are true or false using the information from the text:
1. Most enzymes and bacteria become active in concentrated salt solutions.
2. With split fish the gills and belly cavity of each fish are stuffed with salt.
3. Salting prevents fish from damage.
4. Salting preserves fish from autolytic and bacterial decomposition.
5. Condition of equilibrium is reached when the concentration of the solution inside the cells of the fish tissues is larger than in the brine.
Exercise 9. Choose the correct form of the Participle:
1. The fish covering / covered with brine was left for some hours.
2. Salted / salting fish has a long shelf life.
3. All fish preserving / preserved by this method was of good quality.
4. Herring laying / laid in barrels was interspread with salt.
5. Water extracted / extracting during the process of salting formed brine.
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Exercise 10. Answer the following questions:
1. What is the chief preservative for fish?
2. How does salt act as a preservative?
3. What do we call condition of equilibrium?
4. When is it possible to say that the fish is "thoroughly struck"?
5. What three methods of salting do you know?
6. Why does salting preserves fish from autolytic and bacterial decomposition?
7. What is the difference between brine and pickle?
8. What should be done in dry-salting? Brine-salting? Mixed salting?
9. What method of salting is more preferable?
