Effect of Benzene Hexachloride on the Flavor of Poultry Meat

Abstract

Poultry meat fed, sprayed, or kept in a house previously sprayed with benzene hexachloride, has a distasteful flavor. A study was made of the manner of absorption and persistence of the bad flavor. In feed-treated birds, the odor of the compound was slight after 2 weeks, moderate after 4 wks., and strong at 10 wks.; the taste of the cooked meat followed the same pattern as its odor. In birds which were sprayed, the odor of the meat was moderate after 2 wks., strong at 6 wks., and moderate at 10 wks.; the taste remained strong until the 10th wk. when it became slight. In birds kept in sprayed houses, the odor of the meat was strong in birds exposed for 2 wks., and slight thereafter; the taste of this meat was moderately disagreeable at 2 wks., slight after 6 wks., and moderate again at 10 wks. Control animals showed none of these disagreeable characteristics.