hey, not sure if this belongs in organic chemistry or biochemistry, but I'm researching into whether smells affect a certain species. I need a chemical that is safe to eat and has no taste, but has an odd/bad smell. I know this is kind of difficult due to biology but wondering if it does exist at all. 

Thanks!

26 minutes ago, st4rm4n said:

hey, not sure if this belongs in organic chemistry or biochemistry, but I'm researching into whether smells affect a certain species. I need a chemical that is safe to eat and has no taste, but has an odd/bad smell. I know this is kind of difficult due to biology but wondering if it does exist at all. 

Thanks!

I'm sceptical because smell and taste are almost the same thing, using the same olfactory organ in the nose -  apart from the basic sweet, sour, salt, bitter aspects of taste which are detected in the mouth. I suspect anything with a smell will have a roughly corresponding flavour.

Although, thinking more about this,  there may be some exceptions. I recall the first time I encountered jugged hare, in college, the smell was quite offputting but the taste was delicious. One gets the same thing with other fermented foods, like strong cheese e.g. Époisses.

I can't think of any chemical with a smell but zero taste, but then one is not generally encouraged to go around tasting things in a chemical laboratory.  I don't know if there is anyone on the forum with experience of food chemistry. That's probably what we need here. 

Perhaps a trawl through this book might help

 

Quote

Originally published in 2003, this is the second edition of a title that was called 'the most beautiful chemistry book ever written'. In it, we see the molecules responsible for the experiences of our everyday life - including fabrics, drugs, plastics, explosives, detergents, fragrances, tastes, and sex. With engaging prose Peter Atkins gives a non-technical account of an incredible range of aspects of the world around us, showing unexpected connections, and giving an insight into how this amazing world can be understood in terms of the atoms and molecules from which it is built. The second edition includes dozens of extra molecules, graphical presentation, and an even more accessible and enthralling account of the molecules themselves.

 

3 minutes ago, studiot said:

Perhaps a trawl through this book might help

 

 

Ha. That guy gave the lectures on my Quantum Chemistry course, in 1973-4. Brilliant lecturer, and he can write, too. I have his Quantum Chemistry book, which contains quite a few unexpected choices of phrase. One of my favourites is, in the middle of a rather dry mathematical derivation, he writes, "We can now make a quick scamper towards one of our goals."  Atkins is a short man,  so the image of him scampering is rather amusing.  😁

On 1/27/2025 at 9:41 PM, exchemist said:

I'm sceptical because smell and taste are almost the same thing, using the same olfactory organ in the nose -  apart from the basic sweet, sour, salt, bitter aspects of taste which are detected in the mouth. I suspect anything with a smell will have a roughly corresponding flavour.

Although, thinking more about this,  there may be some exceptions. I recall the first time I encountered jugged hare, in college, the smell was quite offputting but the taste was delicious. One gets the same thing with other fermented foods, like strong cheese e.g. Époisses.

I can't think of any chemical with a smell but zero taste, but then one is not generally encouraged to go around tasting things in a chemical laboratory.  I don't know if there is anyone on the forum with experience of food chemistry. That's probably what we need here. 

One option you could look into is butyric acid it has a strong, unpleasant smell (like rancid butter or vomit) but has very little taste when diluted. It’s found naturally in some foods and is generally safe in small amounts. Just be mindful of concentration, as high doses can be irritating.

5 hours ago, Dama77 said:

One option you could look into is butyric acid it has a strong, unpleasant smell (like rancid butter or vomit) but has very little taste when diluted. It’s found naturally in some foods and is generally safe in small amounts. Just be mindful of concentration, as high doses can be irritating.

This is used in carp fishing baits. What it smells like depends on the concentration. Low concentrations are quite pleasant right up to the worst funky body smells you can imagine. I have some. It comes inside a bottle that is inside a container. If you get it on anything porous or absorbent the smell will last days. The taste is apparently sweetish. In a kilo of substrate or litre of water, starting dose would be around 10 drops for carp baits. Fish can detect it at 10 parts per billion.

Edited February 2Feb 2 by StringJunky