Let us not forget that primarily the odour of ripened fruit evolved to attract the herbivores that happened to be around at the time, so we shouldn't anthropomorphise things too much (although of course we have done our best via artificial selection to produce fruits that are generally attractive to us humans). If you have ever smelled a Durian fruit you'll know that this is possibly the foulest of the lot (it's banned in hotels and on public transport in Malaysia) - yet get past the stench and the flesh is pleasantly citrus/vanilla flavoured - I like it!! I agree with Doug Jensen - this is a fascinating question, and one in which there are degrees of intensity of perception and interpretation. Musk from the anal glands of civet cats is used in the world's most expensive perfumes. I've never smelled a civet, but if my domestic cats are anything to go by it's not something I would liberally sprinkle on myself.
Barry
Dr Barry Meatyard
Programme Director
The National Academy for Gifted and Talented Youth
University of Warwick
Coventry
CV4 7AL
Tel: 44 (0) 24 7657 4483
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Visit www.nagty.ac.uk/Nutshells <https://mywebmail.warwick.ac.uk/exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=http://www.nagty.ac.uk/Nutshells> for a new resource to provide an introduction to the key issues in Gifted and Talented education
World Council for Gifted and Talented Children
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________________________________
From: plant-ed-bounces from oat.bio.indiana.edu on behalf of Jensen, Douglas
Sent: Sun 10/06/2007 21:31
To: Janice M. Glime; Radium
Cc: bionet-plants-education from moderators.isc.org
Subject: RE: [Plant-education] Why do ripe fruits - especially whencanned- smell foul?
I find this a fascinating question. I'd say it's a perceptation difference, but I certainly wouldn't call it an illness or disorder any more than saying that someone who dislikes the color green has a disorder. People perceive smells very differently from each other, and our personal histories play into it. A while back, I read that skunk odor is generally considered pleasant when at very low levels. My son hates cantaloupe because he says it smells like garbage. I like it, concede that point to him, ignoring the smell as I eat it.
I suggest that you contact a smell expert in addition to a food scientist. They might be able to help you pinpoint the particular chemicals that you dislike, and that might lead to conclusions about whether you are reacting differently to some chemicals than others do.
Doug
-----Original Message-----
From: plant-ed-bounces from oat.bio.indiana.edu on behalf of Janice M. Glime
Sent: Sun 6/10/2007 11:56 AM
To: Radium
Cc: bionet-plants-education from moderators.isc.org
Subject: Re: [Plant-education] Why do ripe fruits - especially when canned- smell foul?
Dear Radium,
Have you considered the possibility that some or all of the unpleasant odor
may be contributed by the metal can? Of course, if the same odor exists with
fruits canned in glass jars, this is not an explanation. It suggests that
something in the canning process contributes to the odor. I have no idea as to
what. You need to talk to a food scientist.
Janice
Radium wrote:
> Hi:
>> I notice that many fruits [excluding apples] emit foul odors when
> ripe. What chemicals are responsible for this? I've done as much
> research as I can on this but not gotten anywhere. This isn't a
> homework assignment. I am asking these questions out of personal
> interest.
>> I hate those odors. That why I like to eat apricots, peaches, and
> similar fruits when they are sour, hard, and greenish. When sour,
> hard, and greenish, most fruits smell pleasant. When they are too
> ripe, they become excessively sweet, grossly-soft up and turn mucus-
> yellow; this is when they start to stink.
>> What causes those immeasurably-foul odors?
>> It could not be putricine. Putricine smells like rotting flesh, which
> is also a foul odor but totally different from that of ripe fruits. To
> my nose, over-ripe fruits don't have a smell that even nearly
> resembles rotting flesh. Both are equally bad odors, though.
>> Its also not ethylene - a chemical used to speed ripening. Ethylene
> has a sweet pleasant smell to it. I have smelled it myself in a lab.
> It's beautiful.
>> Butyric acid smells like stinky cheese [including Swiss], smelly feet,
> sweaty shirts, dirty socks, neck-sweat, back sweat, filthy scalp and
> unwashed hair. So it definitely isn't butyric acid. In fact, since
> these foul odors occur after ripening [a process which uses up the
> acids]; I doubt that any acid or acidic substance is responsible for
> the foul odor of ripe fruits.
>> I notice the stink especially in canned fruits. Most fresh fruits
> don't have as much of a strong stink even when ripe. However, canned
> fruits [often dripping in syrup] have an unbearable stench to me.
> Maybe it is something to do with the sugar? I don't know.
>> Why do canned ripe fruits stink more badly than fresh ripe fruits?
>> Also, it can't be ethanol. I like the smell of ethanol. It smells
> sweet.
>> I've asked similar questions in science newsgroups, and they think I
> have an olfactory perception disorder causing me to perceive odors
> differently from other humans. I don't believe this at all.
>> I have tried tiresomely searching on google but there are no websites
> that have an answer to my question.
>> Also, I've noticed that most ripe fruits do not have to be rotten in
> order to give off the foul odors I sense. Simply being ripe causes the
> odor.
>> Any assistance is greatly appreciated.
>> If this is out of your expertise would you please give me an idea of
> who could answer my question?
>>> Thanks,
>> Radium
>> _______________________________________________
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>Plant-ed from net.bio.net>http://www.bio.net/biomail/listinfo/plant-ed
--
*****************************************
Dr. Janice Glime, Professor
President of IAB; Manager of Bryonet
Department of Biological Sciences
Michigan Technological University
1400 Townsend Dr.
Houghton, MI 49931 USA
email: jmglime from mtu.edu
phone: 906-487-2546
fax: 906-487-3167
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