Sardine
Sardine and pilchard are common names for various species of small, oily forage fish in the herring suborder Clupeoidei.[2] The term "sardine" was first used in English during the early 15th century; a somewhat dubious etymology says it comes from the Italian island of Sardinia, around which sardines were once supposedly abundant.[3][4][5]
The terms "sardine" and "pilchard" are not precise, and what is meant depends on the region. The United Kingdom's Sea Fish Industry Authority, for example, classifies sardines as young pilchards.[6] One criterion suggests fish shorter in length than 15 cm (6 in) are sardines, and larger fish are pilchards.[7]
The FAO/WHO Codex standard for canned sardines cites 21 species that may be classed as sardines.[8] FishBase, a database of information about fish, calls at least six species pilchards, over a dozen just sardines, and many more with the two basic names qualified by various adjectives.
- ^ "FAO Fisheries & Aquaculture – FI fact sheet search". fao.org. Archived from the original on 8 May 2009. Retrieved 10 August 2018.
- ^ "What's an oily fish?". Food Standards Agency. 24 June 2004. Archived from the original on 10 December 2010.
- ^ "Sardine | Origin and meaning of sardine by Online Etymology Dictionary". etymonline.com. Archived from the original on 22 August 2011. Retrieved 10 August 2018.
- ^ "Sardine". The Good Food Glossary. BBC Worldwide. 2009. Archived from the original on 12 October 2008. Retrieved 1 November 2009.
- ^ "Sarda, Sardina". Dizionario Etimologico Online.
- ^ "FAQs". Seafish. Archived from the original on 22 July 2011. Retrieved 22 February 2010.
- ^ Stummer, Robin (17 August 2003). "Who are you calling pilchard? It's 'Cornish sardine' to you..." The Independent. Archived from the original on 12 September 2010. Retrieved 1 November 2009.
- ^ "Codex standard for canned sardines and sardine-type products codex stan 94 –1981 REV. 1–1995" (PDF). Codex Alimentarius. FAO/WHO Codex Alimentarius Commission. pp. 1–7. Archived (PDF) from the original on 25 March 2007. Retrieved 18 January 2007.