Researchers unlock secret behind scent differentiation
IFRA hails the discovery as ‘exciting’
For the first time scientists say that they are able to tell how the nose is able to differentiate between different smells.
In research just published from Ruhr University in Bochum, Germany, it is revealed that it is the chemical bonds in the nose which enable a human to distinguish between different fruits for example. The different chemicals in specific food stuffs enable people to be quite specific about whether they are smelling an apricot, a mango or a papaya for example.
As Dr Gelis, a member of the multidisciplinary scientific team there, explains: “The receptor is like a door lock which can be opened by the right key.”
And Lisa Hipgrave, director of IFRA UK, the UK’s fragrance association, comments: “This discovery is exciting as previously just how this lock was constructed was not understood. Knowing how humans react to different scent triggers could have important implications for perfumers.
“For instance malodour neutralisers could be refined to extraordinary effects and the knowledge could be usefully applied to everything from insect repellents targeting specific bugs, to relaxation products based on aromas.”