Tainting and depuration of taint by lobsters (Homarus americanus) exposed to water contaminated with a No. 2 fuel oil: relationship with aromatic hydrocarbon content in tissue

Lobsters (Homarus americanus) were exposed to a pulse of diesel oil and held for 21 days to depurate. Taste panels revealed a highly significant difference between samples, as well as a preference for, the untreated samples at days 10 and 11. The odor of the raw treated samples differed significantly from that of the control at each of the sampling times. Cooking appeared to remove the oily odor from the raw lobster. Significantly elevated concentrations of total aromatics were found in the hepatopancreas of both sexes at days 3-4 and 10-11 and in the tail muscle of male and female lobsters 10-11 days after initial exposure and decreased thereafter. Tainting of lobsters can occur within 10 days of exposure to diesel, and this effect can be reversed within 20 days after initial exposure