Male and female Fischer 344 rats and B6C3F1 mice (10/sex/ dose group) were given 0, 5, 15, 50, or 100 mg/kg/day (rats) or 0, 15, 50, 100, or 175 (mice) mg/kg/day racemic 1,3-dichloropropene (1,3-D), respectively, via their diets for 13 weeks. Satellite groups of rats (recovery = 10 rats/sex/group) ingesting 0 or 100 mg/kg/ day 1,3-D were provided control feed for an additional 4 weeks to examine recovery. The test material was stabilized in the feed by microencapsulation in a starch/sucrose matrix (80/20). The body weights of male and female rats ingesting > or = 5 and > or = 15 mg/kg/ day, respectively, and of all treatment groups of mice were decreased relative to controls. The terminal body weights of high dose group rats and mice were decreased approximately 13-16%. A number of changes in serum biochemical parameters and decreases in organ weights accompanied the depressed body weights of these animals. Histologically, the only treatment-related change observed was a slight degree of basal cell hyperplasia and hyperkeratosis in the nonglandular portion of the stomachs of a majority of male and female rats ingesting > or = mg/kg/day. After the 4-week recovery period, most treatment-related changes were noted to be reversible in nature. No treatment-related histopathological changes were observed in the tissues of treated mice. Based upon relatively slight depressions in body weights at the lowest dosages tested, the no-observed-adverse-effect levels for male rats and both sexes of mice were determined to be 5 mg/kg/day and 15 mg/kg/ day, respectively. A no-observed-effect level of 5 mg/kg/day was established for female rats.