Fish Oil and Fishy Flavor of Eggs and Carcasses of Hens

IN THE United States as well as in many other countries, there is some concern about the use of fish products in the rations of broilers and laying hens because of possible off-flavors. Much disputed is the so-called fishy flavor in broiler meat and in eggs as a result of feeding of fish meals and oils. Recently Edwards and May (1965) investigated the effects of feeding of menhaden fish oil on the flavor of broiler meat. They determined that the addition of as little as 2 percent menhaden fish oil to the ration imparted off-flavors to the meat of chickens fed this ration. Carlson et al. (1957) and Hardin et al. (1964) reported similar results except that lower levels of menhaden fish oil were detected (1.5 and 1.8% dietary menhaden oil respectively) in broiler meat. Relatively few authors have investigated the effects of feeding of fish products on the flavor …