18 MASS. EXPERIMENT STATION BULLETIN 408 



and cheese. Samples were compared periodically' for flavor, between themselves 

 and with a control. A similar test was run using ordinary refrigerator jars with 

 various types of covers. 



In all these tests the doors of the refrigerators were opened a normal number 

 of times each day and a medium-sized load kept in the boxes. Activated char- 

 coal was removed from a filter present in the refrigerator so that it would not 

 interfere with the test. 



Table 10. Flavor Transfer in a Refrigerator at 41°F. and 65 Percent 



Relative Humidity. 



Flavor 



Storage Conditions Storage Period 



24 hours 48 hours 



Butter Cheese Butter Cheese 



Uncovered dishes Very bad Very bad Very bad + Very bad + 



Glass-covered dishes Trace None Slight Slight 



Dishes with oiled-silk covers. . . Slight , Bad 



Original wrappings Trace None Trace Slight 



Sealed jars None None None None 



The data presented in table 10 show that cheese and butter picked up more 

 flavors when uncovered than when stored in glass-covered refrigerator jars. Even 

 the covered dishes d'd not completely prevent flavor transfer, however. 



Butter wrapped in parchment and cream cheese rewrapped carefully in its 

 original carton absorbed no more flavors than when stored in glass-covered re- 

 frigerator dishes. Dishes with oiled-silk covers permitted the transfer of flavor 

 to butter to a greater extent than glass-covered jars but gave more protection 

 than open containers. 



Sealed jars were the only containers which off^ered complete protection against 

 the absorption of flavor. 



No absorption of acetic acid by water in dishes with glass or oiled silk covers 

 could be detected by titrating with sodium hydroxide. 



Discussion 



The experimental results indicate that the obvious solution to the problem of 

 odor transfer in a refrigerator is to eliminate the source of contamination through 

 proper storage methods. The other foods then could be safely covered with 

 whatever type of covers was available. 



SUMMARY 



A study has been made of (a) the operation of an electric refrigerator, (b) the 

 storage of eggs in domestic refrigerators, (c) the storage of left-over food, and 

 (d) the flavor transfer in domestic-type refrigerators. 



