Children's sensitivity to odor of trimethylamine
E H Solbu1, F K Jellestad, K O Strætkvern
1Department of Physiological Psychology, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway.
Insights
Youngest individuals exhibit heightened sensitivity to the fishy odor of trimethylamine (TMA). This olfactory sensitivity to TMA decreases with age and is unrelated to sex or food preferences.
Area of Science:
- Sensory science
- Olfactory perception
- Human physiology
Background:
- Trimethylamine (TMA) is a key odorant associated with fish.
- Understanding olfactory sensitivity to TMA is crucial for food science and sensory analysis.
- Age-related changes in sensory perception are well-documented but vary by odorant.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between age and olfactory sensitivity to trimethylamine (TMA).
- To determine if sex influences TMA sensitivity.
- To assess the correlation between TMA sensitivity and food preferences for fish.
Main Methods:
- Human subjects across various age groups participated.
- Olfactory sensitivity to a standardized trimethylamine (TMA) solution was assessed.
- Statistical analyses were performed to evaluate correlations with age, sex, and food preferences.
Main Results:
- A significant inverse correlation was found between age and olfactory sensitivity to TMA; younger subjects were more sensitive.
- The proportion of highly TMA-sensitive individuals decreased markedly with increasing age.
- Trimethylamine sensitivity was independent of sex and did not correlate with fish food preferences or aversions.
Conclusions:
- Olfactory sensitivity to trimethylamine (TMA) declines significantly from childhood to adulthood.
- Age is a primary factor influencing TMA perception, more so than sex.
- Trimethylamine sensitivity plays a minor role in determining individual preferences for fish as a food source.
Abstract:
Findings in this paper show a strong correlation between subjects' age and their olfactory sensitivity to the "fishy" odor of trimethylamine, with youngest subjects being most sensitive and adult subjects least sensitive to this odor. This was due to a high percentage of highly sensitive subjects in the youngest age groups; this percentage decreased with age. Data further support the notion that trimethylamine sensitivity is independent of sex. The sensitivity to trimethylamine per se showed no significant covariations with the subjects' preferences for or aversions against fish as food and is probably of minor importance for fish food acceptability.
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