Randy Chandler
Some people find the taste and smell of cheese revolting, and it is a conundrum as to why some foods are more disgusting than others. According to Paul Rozin, a psychologist at the University of Pennsylvania, animal products are more likely to be disgusting because they can carry harmful pathogens and decay faster than plant products. However, this doesn't explain why some cheeses, despite being animal products, can have such a strong scent and taste of vomit when melted. For example, Parmesan, Provolone, and Asiago cheeses can have a putrid scent and taste, and it is unclear why some people find this disgusting while others do not.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Reason for cheese tasting like vomit | Butyric and isovaleric acids |
| People disgusted by the odor and taste | 60% |
| People citing cheese intolerance or allergy | 18% |
| People disgusted by stinky cheese in France | 11.5% |
| Examples of stinky cheese | Morbier, Rainbow's Gold, Stinking Bishop |
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What You'll Learn
The role of smell in taste
In the case of strong-smelling cheeses, the role of smell becomes even more pronounced. Some cheeses, like Morbier from the French mountains, are known for their pungent aroma, often described as resembling grass cuttings, rotting vegetables, or baby poo. While the taste may be mildly pleasant, the powerful smell can trigger a strong negative response, leading some people to find the cheese revolting.
The emotional response to certain smells is a critical aspect of how we perceive taste. Paul Rozin, a psychologist known for his work on disgust, proposes that disgust is a "contamination response." For example, the idea of consuming cockroaches may evoke more disgust than the idea of consuming cilantro, even for someone who hates the taste of cilantro. This emotional reaction to certain smells and tastes can strongly influence our overall perception of a particular food.
Context also plays a role in how we perceive the taste of something. For instance, the same combination of butyric and isovaleric acids can evoke either a strong sensation of vomit or Parmesan cheese, depending on the context. Similarly, the smell of fecal matter in a familiar setting like a farm may be less off-putting than in a crowded music festival. This suggests that our sense of smell and its interpretation are deeply intertwined with our emotional and cognitive processes, influencing our taste preferences and aversions.
In summary, the role of smell in taste is multifaceted. It involves not only the detection of volatile compounds in food but also the interpretation of those compounds through emotional and cognitive filters. This results in a highly subjective experience of taste, where the same food item can evoke varying levels of pleasure or disgust in different individuals or contexts. Understanding the complex interplay between smell, taste, and emotion can provide insights into why certain foods, like strong-smelling cheeses, provoke such diverse reactions.
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Animal products and disgust
The idea of disgust is complex and multifaceted, and animal products often top the list of foods that people find disgusting. This may be because we understand that animal-derived foods are more likely to contain harmful pathogens, or because animal products decay more rapidly than plant products and can thus become a source of infection and putrefaction.
Cheese, an animal product, is a particularly interesting case study in the science of disgust. While some people find the smell and taste of cheese revolting, others enjoy it immensely. For instance, in a 332-person survey conducted by Royet, even in cheese-loving France, 11.5% of respondents were disgusted by stinky cheese—a rate more than triple that of other foods like fish or meats. Six out of ten respondents cited the odor and taste as the reason for their disgust, while 18% mentioned a cheese intolerance or allergy.
The strong-smelling cheeses, in particular, tend to elicit feelings of disgust. For example, the English cheese Rainbow's Gold, made from unpasteurized cow's milk and washed daily for several weeks with golden ale, has been described as having a smell akin to "gym gear sweat", "smelly feet", and "the gunk that accrues under your toenails". Another cheese, Morbier from the French mountains, has been said to smell like "baby poo" and "the inside of a food waste bin". Despite the off-putting smells, some people find the taste of these cheeses surprisingly pleasant.
The sensation of disgust is not only mediated by our senses of taste and smell but is also influenced by the emotional and social context in which we encounter a food. For instance, the smell of fecal matter on a farm may be less disgusting than the odor from a portable toilet at a music festival, as Lundström points out. This may be because we are less disgusted by animal waste, as human waste is more dangerous due to the higher risk of spreading pathogens between members of the same species.
In summary, animal products, such as cheese, can evoke strong feelings of disgust in some individuals due to a combination of their sensory characteristics, the potential risk of pathogens, and the emotional and social context in which they are encountered.
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The science of disgust
The sensation of disgust is a complex response that is highly dependent on emotional and social context. While the chemistry of certain foods may elicit a disgust response, it is also influenced by factors such as cultural norms, personal experiences, and the psychological association of certain foods with contamination or decay.
In the case of cheese, its strong odour and taste can trigger a disgust response in some individuals. Cheese, particularly stinky cheese, has a high concentration of volatile compounds that contribute to its pungent aroma. These compounds include butyric and isovaleric acids, which can also be found in vomit. The presence of these acids creates a sensory overlap between the smell and taste of cheese and vomit, leading some people to find the former reminiscent of the latter.
The aversion to cheese may also be influenced by cultural and social factors. In a study conducted by Royet, even in France, a country known for its love of cheese, 11.5% of respondents were disgusted by stinky cheese, a much higher rate than for other foods like fish or meat. This suggests that there is something unique about strong-smelling cheese that makes it more likely to elicit a disgust response.
The psychologist Paul Rozin, also known as "Dr. Disgust," has proposed that disgust can be understood as a contamination response. According to Rozin, we find certain foods disgusting when we associate them with contamination or decay. This could explain why animal products, which are more prone to decay and pathogen growth than plant products, tend to be more disgusting. However, stinky cheese, an animal product itself, presents an interesting exception, as the same decay processes that make it smell and taste strong can also make it more appealing to some individuals.
The complexity of the disgust response is further illustrated by the fact that our emotional and sensory associations with certain smells and tastes can vary depending on the context. For example, the smell of fecal matter on a farm may be less disgusting than the same odour emanating from a portable toilet at a music festival. This suggests that our disgust response is influenced not only by the chemical composition of the stimulus but also by the cultural, social, and emotional connotations we associate with it.
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Why animal waste is less disgusting than human waste
The idea of disgust is complex and multifaceted, and while chemistry plays a role, the sensation of disgust is also influenced by emotional and social factors. According to psychologist Paul Rozin, disgust can be understood as a contamination response, where the idea of certain foods or substances coming into contact with other foods or our bodies can evoke strong feelings of aversion.
Cheese, particularly strong-smelling varieties, is often cited as an example of a food that elicits disgust in some people. In a survey of 332 people, 11.5% were disgusted by stinky cheese, with 6 out of 10 attributing their aversion to the odor and taste. While the chemical compounds responsible for the smell and taste of cheese can be objectively identified, our interpretation of these sensations is influenced by our cultural context and personal experiences.
Now, let's turn to the question of why animal waste may be considered less disgusting than human waste. One possible explanation is the perception of pathogen risk. According to Lundström, we may find animal waste less repulsive because the risk of transmitting diseases between different species is lower. Human waste, on the other hand, poses a higher risk of spreading pathogens and infections, making it more dangerous and, consequently, more disgusting. This distinction is important because it suggests that our disgust response is not just about sensory input but also about our evolutionary survival.
Additionally, the familiarity and cultural normalization of certain smells can influence our disgust response. For example, the smell of fecal matter on a farm may be less offensive to people accustomed to agricultural environments, whereas the odor emanating from a portable toilet at a music festival, where hundreds of strangers have relieved themselves in close quarters, is likely to be far more repulsive to the average person.
Furthermore, the idea of animal waste being less disgusting than human waste may also be influenced by social and cultural norms. In many societies, there is a long history of using animal manure as fertilizer and a natural part of the agricultural cycle. This normalization of animal waste in certain contexts could contribute to a reduced sense of disgust compared to human waste, which is often associated with sanitation issues and health risks.
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Why some people are disgusted by cheese
It is interesting to note that while some people are disgusted by the idea of cheese, others are huge fans of the dairy product. Why does this disparity exist?
Well, for one, it is important to understand what disgust is. Paul Rozin, a psychologist at the University of Pennsylvania, has been studying disgust since the 1980s and has defined it as a "'contamination response'. For instance, if you touch a food item you dislike to another food, you may find the latter contaminated and disgusting. This feeling of disgust is not just limited to food; Rozin explains that if someone hates cilantro and is fed cilantro through a stomach tube, they may not feel disgusted, but they would if they were fed cockroaches through the same tube.
Animal products, in particular, seem to evoke disgust more easily than plant products, perhaps because they are more likely to decay and carry harmful pathogens. However, stinky cheese, despite being an animal product, is an interesting exception. In a survey of 332 people, 11.5% were disgusted by stinky cheese, with more than half of them rating it at the very bottom of a 10-point desirability scale. Six out of ten respondents cited the odor and taste as the reason for their disgust, while 18% mentioned a cheese intolerance or allergy.
The strong smell and taste of certain cheeses, such as provolone and asiago, can be off-putting to some people, resembling the scent and taste of vomit. This may be due to the presence of butyric and isovaleric acids, which can evoke a strong sensation of either vomit or Parmesan cheese, depending on the context. Additionally, the idea of consuming something that has been left to age and develop mold, as is the case with many cheeses, can be off-putting to some individuals.
Ultimately, the sensation of disgust is complex and influenced by a combination of chemistry, emotional context, and social context. While some people may find the taste and smell of cheese revolting, others may relish the same qualities that make it so distinctive.
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Frequently asked questions
The sensation of disgust is highly dependent on emotional and social context. For instance, mixing butyric and isovaleric acids can result in either a strong sensation of vomit or Parmesan cheese, depending on the context.
Some of the smelliest cheeses in the world include Morbier, Rainbow's Gold, and Stinking Bishop.
It is probably due to the emotional and social context of the taster.
Yes, 18% of people who are disgusted by cheese cite a cheese intolerance or allergy as the reason.
