Scimex: A study
identified the genetic origin of the ability to smell the strong,
characteristic odor in human urine produced after eating asparagus. A
team of U.S. and European researchers found hundreds of variants in the
DNA sequence across multiple genes involved in sense of smell that are
strongly associated with the ability to detect asparagus metabolites in
urine. They say more research is needed to understand why such
food results in a particular odor, and what selective pressures would
result in such a significant genetic predisposition to be able to smell -
or not smell - the metabolites.
