CHICKENS COLD-STORED UNDER KNOWN CONDITIONS. 45 



At the second test, however, on January 16, 1907, three months 

 later, the fresh bird was easily distinguished by all of the jurors. 

 This was also true in the other three tests, the difference becoming 

 more pronounced at each trial, and only one mistake was made during 

 the entire observation in the distinction between the fresh and the 

 cold-storage fowls. About 70 per cent of the votes cast at the second 

 test declared the undrawn fowl to be inferior because of its darker 

 color and its stronger odor and taste. 



After almost a year of cold storage, June 11, 1907, the third test 

 was made. The undrawn cold storage fowl was correctly designated 

 by all except one of the jurors, and was described as being of dark 

 color with a bad odor and strong taste. 



Four months later, in the test of October 22, 1907, when the birds 

 had been in storage for 15.5 months, the distinction between the 

 drawn and undrawn cold-storage birds was less pronounced, but 

 there was no question as to which of the three birds was fresh. 

 About 70 per cent of the votes again indicated correctly the undrawn 

 birds, which were described as being dark and dry, the bone at the 

 joints darkened, the white meat tasteless, and the dark meat strong 

 in the majority of cases. 



When the last test was made, on January 23, 1908, the birds had 

 been in cold storage for 18.5 months. Although the difference 

 between the fresh and the storage birds was obvious, the jurors 

 found it even more difficult than in the preceding test to discern the 

 difference between the drawn and the undrawn storage chicken, 

 the vote being evenly divided; both of the storage fowls were by 

 this time somewhat dry and dark, and tasteless rather than strong. 



From the evidence of the jurors who examined the cooked birds, 

 the following conclusions are drawn: The undrawn fowl is distin- 

 guished at first with comparative ease, being inferior in appearance 

 and usually stronger in odor and taste. When they have been 

 stored for 18 months, however, it is difficult to discern a difference 

 in the two, as both are dry and tasteless. The jurors are practically 

 never in doubt as to the superiority of the fresh bird, and this 

 becomes more marked as the experiment progresses, though a short 

 period of storage (3 to 6 months) seems to cause no deterioration. 



Besides the table tests, the fowls were subjected to a macroscopic 

 examination before being cooked. When the chickens had been in 

 storage for 6.5 months, the verdict was that both externally and 

 internally the undrawn bird was better in odor and appearance 

 than the drawn cold-storage bird. 



On June 11, 1907, the second examination was made after a storage 

 period of nearly a year, and it was found that the internal appear- 

 ance of the drawn fowl was still good, no serious decay having appar- 

 ently occurred. The internal examination of the undrawn chicken 



