How does your coffee taste? The taste test that can signal long Covid – ‘solid evidence’

Among the 29 volunteers, scientists found 15 commonly identified compounds that triggered parosmia.

Doctor Jane Parker, Associate Professor of Flavour Chemistry and Director of the Flavour Centre at the University of Reading said: “This is solid evidence that it’s not all “in the head”, and that the sense of disgust can be related to the compounds in the distorted foods. The central nervous system is certainly involved as well in interpreting the signals that it receives from the nose. The parosmic experience is a combination of the two mechanisms which produces the distorted perception of everyday foods, and the associated sense of disgust.

“We can now see that certain aroma compounds found in foods are having this particular effect. It will, we hope, be reassuring for those with parosmia to know that their experience is “real”, that we can identify other foods which may also be triggers and, moreover, suggest “safe” foods that are less likely to cause a problem. This research provides useful tools and strategies for preventing or reducing the effect of the triggers.”

Mr Simon Gane, one of the researchers, from the Royal National Ear, Nose and Throat and Eastman Dental Hospital said: “We still have a long way to go in understanding this condition, but this research is the first to zoom in on the mechanism in the nose. We now know this has to be something to do with the nerves and their receptors because that’s how these molecules are detected.”