Washington, D.C. ie March 18, 1925 
EFFECT OF GARLIC ON THE FLAVOR AND ODOR OF MILK 
By C. J. BABcock 
Assistant Market Milk Specialist, Bureau of Dairying 
CONTENTS 
Page Page 
Objeet of the experiment_—=__—___= _ 1 | Miik tests—Continued. 
Details: of ‘experiment__-=—___-____ 2 Time required after consumption 
|W ETUTES, ST RCENSI S| Se me acai ie Ba OE 2 of garlic for the milk to be 
Check samples =: lee eae 2 free from garlic flavor and 
Time required for garlie flavor COYG UO) eee ss saps lon Seae ga  at 5 
and odor to enter milk__--___ 4 Inhalation. ot carlici = ses 7 
Blood testis) .25h ee See 9 
ConchisSiOn sis ees sees a ee. Set 9 
OBJECT OF THE EXPERIMENT 
When dairy cows are first turned out on pasture in the early spring 
there is probably no plant which more seriously affects the flavor and 
odor of milk than garlic, or wild onion. In some sections it renders 
the milk practically unmarketable. Once the garlic flavor and odor 
have entered the milk there is no efficient or economical method 
known of eliminating it. The only practical way to prevent the 
presence of garlic fiavor and odor in milk appears to be by prevent- 
ing the cows from eating the plant. 
In order to obtain more definite information concerning the effect 
of garlic on the flavor and odor of milk, feeding experiments were 
conducted by the Bureau of Dairying on its experiment farm at 
Beltsville, Md.1_ The specific objects of the investigation were: (1) 
To determine how garlic flavor and odor enter the milk; (2) to deter- 
mine the length of time required after consumption of garlic for the 
flavor and odor to enter the milk; (3) to determine the length of 
time after cows consume garlic before the flavor and odor disappear 
from the milk. 
Nots.—The writer acknowledges the assistance of T. HE. Woodward, in charge of the 
dairy experiment farm, Beltsville, Md., who supervised the experimental work at the farm. 
1The effects of silage, green alfalfa, green corn, turnips, cabbage, and potatoes have 
been studied and reported in Department of Agriculture Bulletin No. 1097, The Effect of 
Silage on the Flavor and Odor of Milk; Department Bulletin No. 1190, The Effect of 
Feeding Green Alfalfa and Green Corn on the Flavor and Odor of Milk; Department Bul- 
letin No. 1208, Effect of Feeding Turnips on the Flavor and Odor of Milk; and Depart- 
eae No. 1297, Effect of Feeding Cabbage and Potatoes on the Flavor and Odor 
0: - 
23836°—25 
