The Science of Scent

Can Mouth Odor Come from the Tongue Surface as Well as the Teeth?

From compounds in healthy people’s breath to tongue coating and bacterial activity: a study used methyl mercaptan to investigate where oral malodor is produced and from what substrates.

2026.11.03

The Science of Scent

Can Mouthwash After Brushing Change Morning Breath?

A 21-day trial in 70 people compared brushing alone with brushing plus CPC mouthwash, examining morning malodor, sulfur compounds, and bacteria on the tongue and in plaque.

2026.11.03

The Science of Scent

Can Scalp Odor Be Converted into Fragrance Compounds?

A study explored fragrance ingredients that reduced sebum-derived fatty acids and converted some into esters, using microbial and enzyme models alongside shampoo and conditioner tests.

2026.11.03

The Science of Scent

Why Can Underarm Odor Have a Metallic Note?

Metallic and mushroom-like compounds were investigated in underarm odor. Laboratory models explored their formation from iron and fatty acids and inhibition by plant extracts.

2026.11.03

The Science of Scent

How Do You Choose a Fragrance to Pair with a Malodor? Research on Receptors and Harmony

A study found that peppermint and other oils harmonized better with model fecal odor than floral extracts. Combining them with receptor-suppressing materials was explored to reduce unpleasantness in complex model odors.

2026.11.03

The Science of Scent

Food-Waste Odor: The Most Abundant Compound Is Not Always the Main Player

A study of samples from seven households combined chemical analysis with smelling individual compounds. Diacetyl emerged as a shared candidate, but its amount alone did not predict the strongest food-waste odor.

2026.11.03

The Science of Scent

The Same Aroma Compound, Guava or Cat Urine? How Wine Changes the Smell

Two Sauvignon blanc aroma compounds were added in trace amounts to water and white wines. Descriptions changed with concentration, medium, and the combination of compounds.

2026.11.03

The Science of Scent

Will You Still Like the Same Smell Three Months Later?

Women’s preferences showed some consistency even for fresh body-odor samples collected from the same men three months later. Comparisons with fragrances and facial photographs explore preference stability.

2026.11.03

The Science of Scent

Can Changing Your Own Odor Change the Impression Your Behavior Makes?

Men who used a spray containing fragrance and antibacterial ingredients were rated as more attractive in silent videos. The experiment examined their self-confidence and the impressions formed by others.

2026.11.03

The Science of Scent

A Pleasant Scent with an Unpleasant Ingredient: How Does the Brain Respond?

An fMRI study of a jasmine model mixed with indole found that pleasantness, unpleasantness, and intensity were represented differently across brain regions, even when the mixture felt pleasant overall.

2026.11.03

The Science of Scent