Masking Undesirable Flavors in Fish Oils'

The odor of fish oil used medicinally may require masking by flavoring materials. During a search for suitable masking materials, fresh, specially refined menhaden oil having a minimum of flavor was stored with and without added flavoring materials for 5 days at 75° F and for longer periods at several lower temperatures. In initial preliminary screening tests with 66 different flavoring materials, the masking of rancid or other unpalatable flavors developing in the stored oil was evaluated by a small panel. In later tests, a large consumer-type panel consisting of untrained laboratory personnel was used to determine the preference for the flavors of those materials that worked best in the screening test and that were of a type approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for use in foods. Several flavoring materials showed promise, particularly those having the flavor of root beer, lemon, wintergreen (methyl salicylate), and wild cherry.