The U. S. Bureau of Fisheries has been experimenting to show the change which takes place with the following results:—
STATISTICS OF WEIGHTS, ETC., OF SPECIMENS OF OYSTERS.
| Constituents. | James River.[17] | Potomac River.[17] | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| From beds. | From floats. | From beds. | From floats. | |||||||||
| Lab. No. 82; 31 oysters. | Lab. No. 83; 34 oysters. | Lab. No. 85; 35 oysters. | Lab. No. 84; 41 oysters. | |||||||||
| Shell contents: | Grms. | Lbs. | Oz. | Grms. | Lbs. | Oz. | Grms. | Lbs. | Oz. | Grms. | Lbs. | Oz. |
| Flesh (body) | 312.5 | 11.0 | 412.5 | 14.5 | 302.5 | 10.7 | 415.5 | 14.7 | ||||
| Liquids (liquor) | 181.5 | 6.4 | 208.0 | 7.3 | 282.0 | 10.0 | 264.3 | 9.3 | ||||
| Total | 494.0 | 1 | 1.4 | 620.5 | 1 | 5.8 | 584.5 | 1 | 4.7 | 679.8 | 1 | 8.0 |
| Refuse: | ||||||||||||
| Shells | 2778.0 | 6 | 2.0 | 2976.0 | 6 | 9.1 | 3017.0 | 6 | 10.4 | 3386.0 | 7 | 7.4 |
| Loss[18] | 21.0 | 0.8 | 17.5 | 0.6 | 22.5 | 0.8 | 15.2 | 0.5 | ||||
| Total | 2799.0 | 6 | 2.8 | 2993.5 | 6 | 9.7 | 3039.5 | 6 | 11.2 | 3401.2 | 7 | 7.9 |
| Total weight of specimen | 3293.0 | 7 | 4.2 | 3614.0 | 7 | 15.5 | 3624.0 | 7 | 15.9 | 4081.0 | 8 | 15.9 |
[17] Transplanted to beds in New Haven harbor, Connecticut, in April, and taken for analysis the following November.
[18] Loss in opening and weighing, chiefly water.
COMPARATIVE PERCENTAGE COMPOSITION OF OYSTERS BEFORE AND AFTER “FLOATING.”
| Constituents of Oysters. | James River Oysters Transplanted To New Haven. | Potomac River Oysters Transplanted To New Haven. | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| As taken from beds. | As taken from floats. | As taken from beds. | As taken from floats. | |
| No. 82. | No. 83. | No. 85. | No. 84. | |
| In whole specimen: | Percent. | Percent. | Percent. | Percent. |
| Shell contents: | ||||
| Flesh | 9.49 | 11.41 | 8.35 | 10.18 |
| Liquids | 5.51 | 5.76 | 7.78 | 6.48 |
| Total shell contents | 15.00 | 17.17 | 16.13 | 16.66 |
| Refuse: | ||||
| Shells | 84.36 | 82.35 | 83.25 | 82.97 |
| Loss in preparation for analysis | 0.64 | 0.48 | 0.62 | 0.37 |
| Total refuse | 85.00 | 82.83 | 83.87 | 83.34 |
| Total constituents, shell contents, and refuse | 100.00 | 100.00 | 100.00 | 100.00 |
| In flesh (body): | ||||
| Water | 77.99 | 82.77 | 77.90 | 82.06 |
| Water-free substance | 22.01 | 17.23 | 22.10 | 17.94 |
| Total flesh | 100.00 | 100.00 | 100.00 | 100.00 |
| In water-free substance: | ||||
| Nitrogen | 1.70 | 1.40 | 1.65 | 1.45 |
| Protein (nitrogen × 6.25) | 10.63 | 8.79 | 10.31 | 9.09 |
| Fat (ether extract) | 2.61 | 1.91 | 2.33 | 1.93 |
| Ash | 2.21 | 1.55 | 2.17 | 1.58 |
| Carbohydrates, etc. (by difference) | 6.56 | 4.98 | 7.29 | 5.34 |
| Total water-free substance | 22.01 | 17.23 | 22.10 | 17.94 |
| In liquids: | ||||
| Water | 94.74 | 95.22 | 94.99 | 95.69 |
| Water-free substance | 5.26 | 4.78 | 5.01 | 4.31 |
| Total liquids | 100.00 | 100.00 | 100.00 | 100.00 |
| In water-free substance: | ||||
| Nitrogen | 0.31 | 0.34 | 0.29 | 0.33 |
| Protein (nitrogen × 6.25) | 1.95 | 2.09 | 1.81 | 2.05 |
| Fat (ether extract) | 0.04 | 0.13 | 0.02 | 0.01 |
| Ash | 2.54 | 1.42 | 2.47 | 1.19 |
| Carbohydrates, etc. (by difference) | 0.73 | 1.14 | 0.71 | 1.06 |
| Total water-free substance | 5.26 | 4.78 | 5.01 | 4.31 |
| In total shell contents, flesh, and liquids: | ||||
| Water | 84.15 | 86.95 | 86.14 | 87.36 |
| Water-free substance | 15.85 | 13.05 | 13.86 | 12.64 |
| Total shell contents | 100.00 | 100.00 | 100.00 | 100.00 |
| In water-free substance: | ||||
| Nitrogen | 1.19 | 1.05 | 0.99 | 1.02 |
| Protein (nitrogen × 6.25) | 7.44 | 6.54 | 6.20 | 6.37 |
| Fat (ether extract) | 1.66 | 1.31 | 1.21 | 1.18 |
| Ash | 2.32 | 1.50 | 2.32 | 1.43 |
| Carbohydrates, etc. (by difference) | 4.43 | 3.70 | 4.13 | 3.66 |
| Total water-free substance | 15.85 | 13.05 | 13.86 | 12.64 |
| In whole specimen: | ||||
| Shell contents: | ||||
| Water | 12.62 | 14.93 | 13.89 | 14.55 |
| Water-free substance | 2.38 | 2.24 | 2.24 | 2.11 |
| Total shell contents | 15.00 | 17.17 | 16.13 | 16.66 |
| Refuse | 85.00 | 82.83 | 83.87 | 83.34 |
| Total shell contents and refuse | 100.00 | 100.00 | 100.00 | 100.00 |
| In whole specimen: | ||||
| Shell contents: | ||||
| Nitrogen | 0.18 | 0.18 | 0.16 | 0.17 |
| Protein (nitrogen × 6.25) | 1.12 | 1.12 | 1.00 | 1.06 |
| Fat (ether extract) | 0.25 | 0.22 | 0.20 | 0.20 |
| Ash | 0.35 | 0.26 | 0.37 | 0.24 |
| Carbohydrates, etc. (by difference) | 0.66 | 0.64 | 0.67 | 0.61 |
| Total water-free substance | 2.38 | 2.24 | 2.24 | 2.11 |
| Water | 12.62 | 14.93 | 13.89 | 14.55 |
| Total shell-contents | 15.00 | 17.17 | 16.13 | 16.66 |
Result of Treatment.
—As shown by the data the first result is one which would naturally be expected, namely, that the total weight of the oyster thus inflated with water is increased relatively to the total weight of the shell since no change takes place in the weight of the shell during floating. The gain of weight in the oyster is due to the absorption of the water, although there is a loss of mineral salt. The average gain of the oyster was, in round numbers, 10 percent. The danger of infecting oysters thus treated with any germs, which may be present in the water or ice used, should also be taken into consideration.
In respect of the composition of the oyster itself when subjected to floating the chief change is in the increase of the water content. As has already been said the process of floating is fatal to the flavor and palatability of the product.