I want to eat what I smell”: the philosophy of scents from childhood memories to the evaluation of olive oil

At a young age, in the family home among the neighbors, the relations between the neighbors were close. They were dedicated to cooking delicious foods and exchanging dishes among themselves to show a spirit of affection and respect for the rights of the neighbor.

With the kitchens near, Hazem Hamdy, my little brother, used to say a simple and beautiful saying: “I want to eat what I smell”.

We used to laugh at his words, but in fact the sense of smell is linked to memory, especially the distinctive smells. They are the first influence in judging the quality of food and drinks. These simple words have their dimensions that unfold with knowledge. There are beautiful scents that affect the soul and make us want this product.

How do smells get to us through the air?

Odors are volatile substances that are emitted into the air (gaseous diffusion) or spread on pungent gaseous compounds that have different odors. The stronger the association, the longer the effect of the smell is fixed, and it is so strong that a person can smell it from long distances.

We notice this in the composition of aromatic scents (where the volatile substance is added with the odorous oil chosen by the customer). One of the most important factors that lead to the binding of odorous substances is the distance from light and heat.

We notice the emission of good smells from barbecue shops in the air and its impact on attracting customers. We also always notice that we start smelling food before starting to taste it.

What is the importance of the sense of smell?

• Early warning of danger: It warns of gas leaks, smoke, spoiled food, and the presence of toxic substances.
• Tasting: It greatly affects our perception of flavors. Much of what we consider a “taste” is actually a smell.
• Memory and Emotion: It is directly linked to the limbic system (Limbic System) in the brain. It strongly triggers memories and feelings.
• Social interaction: They affect attraction between individuals through natural chemical odors (pheromones), although this topic is still being researched.
• Mental and physical health: Its decline may indicate diseases such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, diabetes, and heart disease.
• Respiratory health: Regular cell renewal helps to cope, and their loss may indicate sinus infections or other respiratory diseases.
• Feeling full and regulating appetite: It promotes relaxation and psychological calm.

The role of the sense of smell in olive oil

The sense of smell is important for olive oil in evaluating its quality (to detect positive smells or bad smells), taking into account that the oil should be in a dark cup (mostly blue or red) to avoid the effect of light on the oil, and that the taster should warm the oil with his hands to make the smell come out and be clearer.

1. QUALITY AND PURITY ASSESSMENT:

• Quality disclosure: A good smell is refreshing and reminiscent of fresh olives, grass, or fruits (almonds, green tomatoes, apples) and other pleasant scents, indicating the quality of extra virgin oil.
• Identification of defects: Smell reveals bad smells such as rancidity, fermentation, rotting, old walnuts, or grease (indicating oxidation or poor storage).

The taster should be trained and experienced in smelling the smells of olive oil in order to be able to distinguish between different smells and their implications because each type of olive tree has its own distinctive smells, in addition to differences in service conditions, the nature of the soil, the method of irrigation, and whether the oil is of a single or multiple types.

Therefore, those who evaluate olive oil should have specialized courses in olive oil tasting. The first judgment on any product always starts from the smell, which gives the first indicator to determine the quality.

Summary

When my brother (Hazem) said when he was young: “I want to eat what I smell”We used to laugh, but knowing that he was right, this indicates the strength of the sense of smell and its emotional connection to positive memories of foods he loves

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