What preservatives were used during the embalmed beef scandal?

• A. Boric acid
• B. Formaldehyde
• C. Boric acid, formaldehyde, and salicylic acid
• D. Salicylic acid

Answer: (C)

Meat adulteration in a historical scandal shows why this question uses a mix of additives. In that embalmed beef episode, producers used more than one preservative to extend shelf life and disguise spoilage. Boric acid helped stabilize the product and affect its appearance, formaldehyde acted as a fixative and antimicrobial agent, and salicylic acid served as another antimicrobial preservative. Because the incident involved a combination of substances rather than a single chemical, choosing the option that lists all three best reflects what was used. Using only one chemical would not capture the full scope of the adulteration. The other choices are incomplete because they mention only one substance each, whereas the documented practice involved all three.