KIFER. SMITH, and YOUNG: EFFECT OF DIETARY FISH OIL 



using variable cooking times and temperatures. 

 Salt and pepper were the only condiments used. 

 Two tests were made: a panel test and a 

 home-consumer test. Twelve panel members 

 tested (once daily) a portion of the loin from 

 various animals in a triangular test pattern. 

 In addition to matching like samples, the panel 

 members indicated a score according to the nu- 

 merical standard: 1 (good) to 10 (inedible) 

 and made any additional subjective comments 

 that they felt would be helpful concerning the 

 samples. The remaining portions of the loins 

 were distributed randomly to staff members and 

 were accompanied with a form requesting a de- 

 scription of the method of cooking used, a state- 

 ment of the number of persons tasting, and a 

 subjective evaluation of the flavor. 



Results and Discussion 



Tables 12, 13, and 14 present the results of 

 Trial I, which was conducted to establish the 

 level of fish oil in the diet that would induce 

 a fishy flavor in pork. The results, as presented 



Table 12. — Panel test Trial I — organoleptic results ob- 

 tained with loins of pigs fed menhaden oil at various 

 levels in the diet. 



Concentration of 

 menhaden 

 oil in diet 



Samples 

 tested 



Detection of 

 adverse flavor 



Fishy 



Table 13. — Panel test Trial I — organoleptic results 

 (selected data) obtained with loins of pigs fed men- 

 haden oil at various levels in the diet. 



Concentration of 

 menhaden 

 oil in diet 



Sample 

 tested 



Detection of 

 adverse flavor 



Off 



Fishy 



Table 14. — Home-consumer test Trial I — organoleptic 

 results obtained with loins of pigs fed menhaden oil at 

 various levels in the diet. 



in Table 13, are somewhat misleading, because 

 two facts need to be considered in interpreting 

 them. First, part way through the taste test, 

 the freezer in which the test samples were stored 

 malfunctioned. The samples of meat thawed 

 for 2 days and then refroze. Subsequently, a 

 number of panelists detected off-flavors in the 

 control sample as well as in the samples from 

 the pigs receiving the lower levels of fish oil. 

 Second, one panelist continuously detected off- 

 flavor and fishiness regardless of the dietary 

 treatment. In view of these two facts. Table 14 

 is included ; here results are presented of tests 

 conducted before the freezer malfunctioned and 

 without the evaluations of the one panelist. The 

 organoleptic results (Table 14) indicate that an 

 off-flavor in pork could be detected when pigs 

 consumed menhaden oil at a level of 0.8% of 

 their diet and that a fishy flavor could be de- 

 tected when the pigs consumed menhaden oil 

 at a level of 1.2% of their diet and were fed 

 when they attained a weight of 40.5 kg until they 

 attained a market weight of 90.9 kg. 



These results confirm a previous report by 

 Vestal et al. (1945), which established that a 

 level of 1.0 Sr menhaden oil in the diet would 

 cause a fishy flavor. 



The results of the home-consumer test agree 

 in general with those of the panel test that a 

 fishy flavor was detected when menhaden oil 

 was fed at a level of 1.2% in the diet. The one 

 indication of off-flavor and fishy flavor in the 

 control sample was found by the judge who had 

 consistently done so in the panel test. All 

 samples in the home-consumer test had been sub- 

 jected to the thawing and refreezing process. 



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