RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Bittering agents in the prevention of accidental poisoning: children's reactions to denatonium benzoate (Bitrex).
JF Archives of Emergency Medicine
JO Arch Emerg Med
FD BMJ Publishing Group Ltd and the British Association for Accident & Emergency Medicine
SP 1
OP 7
DO 10.1136/emj.8.1.1
VO 8
IS 1
A1 J R Sibert
A1 N Frude
YR 1991
UL http://emj.bmj.com/content/8/1/1.abstract
AB The responses of young children to Denatonium Benzoate (Bitrex) were observed, in order to assess the potential of this bittering agent in the prevention of accidental poisoning. Thirty-three children aged 17-36 months were offered orange juice containing Bitrex (in a concentration of 10 parts per million). Of the 30 children who took some of this juice, only seven were willing to take more than 10 gm. A variety of negative verbal and non-verbal responses were noted. It is suggested that the highly unpalatable nature of Bitrex makes this compound a useful additive that could well prevent accidental poisoning from household products of mild to moderate toxicity.