The rotten Greenland shark meat—which has been fermented and buried in a sand pit for up to five months before being hung to dry for another few months—emits an overwhelming scent of ammonia.
Surströmming is an infamous Swedish delicacy made of fermented Baltic sea herring. In spring, the spawning fish are caught between Sweden and Finland, then the heads are removed and the bodies are stored in a series of salted water solutions.
The unique smell is attributed to autolysis in the fermentation, when the enzymes and bacteria create various acids. Some of those acids include propionic acid, butyric acid and acetic acid. The real culprit however is hydrogen sulfide which is normally associated with the pungent smell of bad eggs.
In April 2006, several major airlines (such as Air France, British Airways, Finnair, and KLM) banned the fish, claiming that the pressurised cans of fish are potentially explosive. The sale of the fish was subsequently discontinued in Stockholm's international airport.
Eating surströmming is a tradition and a social activity. Enthusiasts describe the taste as rich umami. It's also an excuse to throw a fermented herring party, called 'surströmmingsskiva'.
The odor from a skunk is in a class by itself; it's so strong, it's almost toxic. The reason skunk odor is so hard to remove is that the spray is sulfur-based and sticks to anything it comes in contact with. The horrible skunk odor can remain on surfaces for weeks if not properly treated.
The Gastro-intestinal tract, from mouth to anus, often smells bad.
A study conducted by researchers from the Karolinska Institute in Sweden and the University of Oxford has found that vanilla is the world's most universally-loved scent.
Ethyl Mercaptan (ethanethiol)
What is this? It even has a claim to fame, being ranked as the Guinness Book of World Records' “smelliest substance”.
“The Durian Fruit”, fruit which is King Of fruits after having a strong smell and banned in many countries. In spite of all this still, it is one of the infamous and healthy fruit.
Garlic, onions,egg, and cruciferous vegetables — such as broccoli and cauliflower — can cause odour,” Dr Anupam Dey, a Kolkata-based dietician says. So, if you are eating high levels of certain foods, foul-smelling compounds they contain may be excreted through your sweat glands to give an unpleasant odour.
ODOR AFTER A SHOWER IS DUE TO LINGERING BACTERIA
Most people do not pay enough attention to their armpits in the shower, resulting in bacteria lingering in the armpits.
Lesser Anteater
The Lesser Anteater is regarded as one of the most foul-smelling creatures in the animal kingdom. Their pungent odour is about 4 to 7 times stronger than that of the skunk. It is possible to smell the lesser anteater up to 50 metres away!
"When somebody feels like they're still smelly after the shower, typically it's someone who is more prone to sweating, and may have a buildup of bacteria on the skin in conjunction with the sweat," Marisa Garshick, MD, assistant clinical professor of dermatology at Cornell-New York Presbyterian Medical Center, tells ...
As a general rule, cats are sensitive when it comes to smells, but there are a few scents they hate that might just surprise you. They can't stand citrus and as much as you might love the smell of fresh herbs, cats hate rosemary and thyme. Banana and mustard are a big no-no too, as well as lavender and eucalyptus.
Several common household items (most notably baking soda and white vinegar) contain powerful properties that eliminate smells without the use of chemicals. But less-commonly known products like coffee and vodka can do wonders when it comes to eliminating, not simply covering, bad smells.
Some of the best odor eliminators are coffee grounds, tea, vinegar, oats, and baking soda. Leaving a bowl of any of these odor absorbers out in a room that's due for a little freshening up will help clear out the less-than-pleasant smells from the air.
What does surströmming taste like? Well, the Swedes are right – it really doesn't taste as bad as it smells. Unsurprisingly, it has a fishy flavour, but with the sharp tang of a good blue cheese. It's certainly is an acquired taste, but most Swedes love it – and you may well come to enjoy it as well.
Despite this many Swedes still love surströmming! Fermented fish is not really so strange. The ancient Greeks and Romans made a famous sauce from fermented fish and Worcestershire Sauce also has a fermented fish ingredient.
A tin of surströmming undoubtedly makes for a novel souvenir, but before you start filling your suitcases with the stuff be warned; several airlines, including BA, have banned it on the grounds that the pressurised tins could explode on board.