Don't know about coffee, but I do remember hearing that the asparagus
phenom does have a genetic basis, having to do I think with the breakdown
of asparagine (or am I making this all up too conveniently?). Some people
break it down to a smelly metabolite, some don't. I wouldn't be surprised
if some intro bio textbook uses the asparagus gene as an illustration of
some mendelian concept.
Anne Heise
Washtenaw Community College
Ann Arbor MI
