The Scientific Reason Some People Can't Stand The Smell Of Bacon

Fatty, smoky, and irresistibly salty, bacon boasts a unique flavor that hooks everyone who tastes it (well, not everyone, as billions of people don't eat pork). However, even for those who have no personal restrictions regarding this protein, it's actually the smell that they can't stand. Disliking the smell of something doesn't always mean hating the taste. You may have avoided the 14 mistakes that are ruining your bacon and perfected your recipe, experimenting with sugar, maple syrup, and a dozen other ingredients to make it just right — yet somehow, your nose disagrees with the scientific notion that bacon tastes good with everything.

If that's the case, rest assured that there's absolutely nothing wrong with you. The reality is, you might just not be genetically wired to enjoy pork. According to Duke University Medical Center, approximately 70% of people around the world carry two functional copies of the OR7D4 odorant receptor gene, citing a joint 2012 study with the PLOS One journal. These researchers found that people with this gene are particularly sensitive to androstenone, a steroid hormone produced by male pigs. One of the study's most fascinating conclusions is that people with two copies of the OR7D4 gene often perceive androstenone as having a strong and unpleasant odor, but not all of them experience it that way.

The researchers from Duke University and the Norwegian science team used blood tests to measure the 23 participants' sensitivity to androstenone and split them into two groups — sensitive and insensitive — based on this parameter. All participants were then requested to smell, cook, and taste seven kinds of pork with different androstenone levels. They then needed to score them from one to seven (with seven meaning they really liked it). 

Once the results came in, what stood out was that, compared to participants with two OR7D4 gene copies (who found pork truly unappealing), those with just one copy of the gene not only tolerated the meat's taste and smell better, but also often described it as sweet, pleasant, floral, and even vanilla-like at times. If pork can produce such an appetizing aroma, it's easy to see why some people prefer to eat eggs with bacon for breakfast. However, opinions on the protein aren't always so divisive.

An article in the Journal of Physiology identified a third group of people based on sensitivity to androstenone: those entirely unable to detect the hormone. If you don't like the smell of pork (or don't care), there are plenty of other ways to enjoy crunchy bacon, including turkey, beef, and duck, among vegetarian options, such as soy and mushrooms. People seeking plant-based alternatives might be pleasantly surprised by bacon made from rice paper, coconut, or even seaweed. It's always possible to bring home the bacon without smelling pork in your kitchen.