Love Of Pork May Be Genetic, Says Study

Love Of Pork May Be Genetic, Says Study


A group of researchers from Duke University Medical centre, Monell Chemical Senses Center and three Norwegian institutions have published the results of a study which they believe may shows a genetic predisposition to having a particular fondness for cooked meats.

In the experiment the conducted, a group of people with varying levels of a certain odour receptor gene were asked to smell and taste a few bites of a few pork to taste, which they were then asked to rate. What they were looking for was the level of sensitivity to a testosterone-like steroid called androstenone, which is found in the salive of boars.

Based on self report, those with a specific variation of the gene insensitive to androstenone preferred the taste and smell of the pork samples significantly more so than those respondents with a more sensitive variation of that same gene. They found the meat disgusting.

In other words, your proclivity for fried pork-skins may very well have been inherited from your boar-hunting Scandinavian ancestors. [FoodBeast]

Image via Olinchuk/Shutterstock


The Cheapest NBN 50 Plans

It’s the most popular NBN speed in Australia for a reason. Here are the cheapest plans available.

At Gizmodo, we independently select and write about stuff we love and think you'll like too. We have affiliate and advertising partnerships, which means we may collect a share of sales or other compensation from the links on this page. BTW – prices are accurate and items in stock at the time of posting.