A Question from Readers in this article of New Scientist, asks why human excreta smells so bad. Its mainly due to the presence of the chemical skatole.
http://www.newscientist.com/lastword/article.jsp?id=lw1080
But read this excerpt:
The smelly substance in excrement is skatole (3-methylindole), and it is the substance to which the human nose is most sensitive on a per molecule basis. No doubt it is present in faeces because it is a breakdown product from haemoglobin that enters the gut via bile. We have evolved to be repelled by it because excrement transmits disease and we should steer clear.However, skatole doesn't always trigger the disgust reaction in humans, nor is the reaction shared by the whole animal kingdom. The substance is used in small amounts as flavouring in food, notably in vanilla ice cream. Dung flies are attracted to it, and the phallus-like spadix of the arum lily (Zantedeschia aethiopica) synthesises skatole to attract flies that pollinate the flowers. The civet cat also has glands that produce skatole, presumably to mark territory and repel others. This gland is used in perfumery.
So the chemical which makes S**T smell so bad is also used IN VANILLA ICE-CREAM???? EWWWWWWWWWWWWW!!!!!!
OK, so I have 2 questions:
(1) Who discovered this? Who thought up the idea that essence of poo would go well with Vanilla freakin' ice-cream??? This person has a job and gets paid???? God help us all..........
and (2) What the &!@#% do they put in CHOC-CHIP ICE-CREAM????????????
Pope