flavor and benzene hexachloride content of peanuts 7 



Determination of Benzene Hexachloride Content 



The soils and peanut butter samples were analyzed by the Schechter- 

 Hornstein (14) colorimetric method for BHC as modified by Horn- 

 stein (9). Briefly, peanut butter samples were extracted with meth- 

 ylene chloride, the methylene chloride was evaporated on a steam 

 bath, and glacial acetic acid was added to the residual peanut oil. 

 Soil samples were extracted directly with acetic acid. The BHC in 

 acetic acid was dechlorinated by the use of zinc and the benzene 

 formed was nitrated to m-dinitrobenzene. This latter compound in 

 the presence of methyl ethyl ketone and strong alkali gives a violet 

 red color that can be measured photometrically. This analytical 

 procedure is reliable to as low as 0.1 p. p. m. of BHC when applied 

 to soils, and to about 0.2 p. p. m. when applied to peanuts (9). 



RESULTS 



Palatability Studies 



Average flavor scores for the individual samples of peanut butter 

 prepared from the 1950 collections of commercial peanuts and their 

 comparable controls are presented in tables 1,2, and 3. The results 



Table 1 .-^Spanish peanuts, 1950: Flavor scores and benzene hexa- 

 chloride content of peanut butter made from peanuts grown in fields 

 with and without history of benzene hexachloride-treated cotton crops 



Total insecti- 



BHC isomers 



State in 

 which 



peanuts 

 were 

 grown 



Peanut butter, mediu 



m roast 



cide 1 applied 



to cotton 

 (pounds per 



per acre 



Mean flavor score 



BHC 



acre) 



Total 



Gamma 



Panel A 2 



Panel B 3 



content 



210 



Pounds 

 48 

 25 

 22 

 20 

 17 

 14 

 14 

 14 

 14 

 11 

 11 

 10 

 9 



Pounds 

 6. 3 

 3. 3 

 2.9 

 2.6 

 2.2 

 1. 8 

 1. 8 

 1. 8 

 1. 8 

 1. 4 

 1. 4 

 1. 3 

 1. 2 

 

 



Georgia- 



___do 



___do 



___do 



___do 



___do 



___do 



___do 



_._do 



___do 



___do 



_._do 



_..do 



___do 



Texas 



4. 

 4.4 

 4. 9 

 4. 4 

 4.6 

 4.6 

 4. 5 

 4.0 

 4.4 

 40 

 40 

 4 8 

 4.2 

 4.0 

 47 



7.79 

 7. 12* 



7. 14* 



8. 10 



8. 35 

 7.95 

 9.00 



* 9. 15* 

 8.55 



9. 15 

 8.30 

 7.40 

 7. 75 

 8.20 



P. p. m. 

 0. 09 



110 



. 13 



96 _ __ 



. 11 



85 



.06 



72_ 



.00 



60 



. 10 



60 



60 



.08 







60 







48 . -__ _ 



.08 



48 



.06 



45 



. 03 



40 



. 10 



0___ 





















1 3-5-40 dust applied in 1949. 



2 Each sample rated by 10 persons on a 5-point scale: 5, no off-flavor; 1, very- 

 strong off-flavor. 



3 Each sample rated by 20 persons on a 10-point scale: 10, no off-flavor; 5 r 

 very strong off-flavor; 1, inedible. 



4 This treated sample superior to control. 



*Score significantly (P=.05) different from control. 



318718—55 2 



