Molecule In Corked Wine Plugs Up Your Nose

sciencehabit writes "Ever send a bottle of wine back at a restaurant? If you weren't just being a pretentious snob, then it was probably because the wine seemed 'corked' — had a musty odor and didn't taste quite right. Most likely, the wine was contaminated with a molecule called 2,4,6-trichloroanisole (TCA), the main cause of cork taint. But a new study by Japanese researchers concludes that you do not smell TCA directly; rather, TCA blocks up your sense of smell and distorts your ability to detect odors. The findings could help the food and beverage industry improve its products and lead to less embarrassment for both you and your waiter."

Comments

Re:So stop using corks

[binarylarry]

"Greetings sir, I've selected the finest cans of wine for your dining experience tonight. Would you like some pork rhines to help wash that merlot down?"

Re:So stop using corks

[horm]

All that work creates jobs. Do you want to destroy American jobs?

Re:So stop using corks

[mrmeval]

Bag in a box wine review: The polyvinylchloride adds a particularly delightful emphasis to the cardboard while the shades of petroleum
byproducts are a welcome ablative to the virus stunted grapes musty
grandeur.
--mrmeval 2007