Smelled Quote by Mary Roach
““recruiting sensory panelists to sniff* amniotic fluid (withdrawn during amniocentesis) and breast milk from women who had and those who hadn’t swallowed a garlic oil capsule. Panelists agreed: the garlic-eaters’ samples smelled like garlic. (The babies didn’t appear to mind. On the contrary, the Monell team wrote, “Infants . . . sucked more when the milk smelled like garlic.”)””
About This Quote
Source Book: Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers by Mary Roach, 2003
Scientists used a sensory panel to detect garlic odor in amniotic fluid and breast milk, finding infants responded positively to garlic-scented milk.
In simple terms: Garlic scent in fluids was detected and infants liked it.
Key Takeaway
Garlic scent can influence infant behavior.
Themes
science
nutrition
infant behavior
Mood
curious
neutral
Type
informative
scientific
When to use this quote
- research studies
- infant feeding
- maternal nutrition
Key Concepts
sensory perception
olfactory cues
maternal diet
Questions to Reflect On
- How might maternal diet affect infant preferences?
- What are ethical limits of such sensory studies?
A Different Perspective
Garlic odor may not be universally appealing; cultural preferences vary.
