Blinded Taste Panel Evaluations To Determine if Fish from near the Oil Sands Are Preferred Less than Fish from Other Locations in Alberta, Canada

Abstract

The oil sands industry is rapidly expanding surface mining and bitumen extraction operations near the Athabasca River in northeastern Alberta, Canada. There are anecdotal comments that the fish from the Athabasca River have an off-taste, implying that the oil sands operations are the cause. This study was done to determine if the taste of wild fishes caught near the Athabasca oil sands was less preferred than the taste of fishes collected from two other river basins in Alberta. In blinded experiments, consumer sensory panels, of 40 to 44 participants, tasted steamed samples of each of three fish species (walleye (Sander vitreus), northern pike (Esox lucius), and lake whitefish (Coregonus clupeaformis)) from three different sources in Alberta (the Athabasca River, Buck Lake, and McGregor Lake). Data analyses showed that there was no evidence from the consumer preference rankings that the taste of the fish from the Athabasca River was preferred less than the taste of fish from two other water bodies in Alberta.

Cortical representation of different taste modalities on the gustatory cortex: A pilot study

“…Each solution was administered twice in random order and the still water was used as a control substance. After every stimulus, subjects were invited to rinse their mouth with water and to eat unsalted crackers in order to recover a neutral taste sensation on their tongue [ 23 ].…”

A critical review of the ecological status of lakes and rivers from Canada's oil sands region

“…Potential impacts of oil sands development on the health of organisms, including fishes, and subsequent consumption have motivated much of the research attention in the region (Miall, 2013 ). While blinded panels were unable to differentiate the taste of steamed samples of fishes captured from three locations in Alberta, including the Athabasca River (Barona et al, 2011 ), oily and soft flesh of fish has been reported by residents downstream of the oil sands area (Timoney & Lee, 2009 ) and from Cold Lake (Brunet et al, 2020 ). Physical abnormalities in fishes have also been noted by residents (Brunet et al, 2020 ; Miall, 2013 ; Timoney & Lee, 2009 ).…”