Some love it, others are sensitive to it: Genetics and experience determine who likes bacon—and who doesn't.
Sunday morning. Sunlight drifts through the curtains, and the aroma of freshly brewed coffee fills the kitchen—and on the stove, bacon crackles, releasing that rich, savory fragrance some of us like so much. For many, this moment is like heaven on earth.
But not for everyone. While bacon is a breakfast staple for most, a surprising minority recoil at the mere smell.
It may sound improbable, but the explanation lies partly in our DNA. Researchers at Duke University Medical Center, working with Norwegian pig scientists, identified a gene that influences how we perceive androstenone—a compound found primarily in male pork. People who carry two copies of this gene are particularly sensitive to its scent.
This doesn’t mean most people gag at the smell of bacon. But it does help explain why some find it overwhelmingly strong—or distinctly unpleasant—while others perceive it as mouthwatering.
Genetics, however, tells only half the story. As with coriander—beloved by some, disliked by others, early exposure plays a decisive role. Psychologist Linda Bartoshuk of the University of Florida has shown that many of our flavor preferences are shaped in childhood.
If you grew up in a household where pork was rarely eaten—whether for religious reasons, such as in Judaism or Islam, or simply due to regional food culture—the smell of bacon may feel foreign or even off-putting. Not because it is inherently unpleasant, but because your brain never learned to associate it with comfort or pleasure.
Scientists estimate that around 70 percent of people are genetically predisposed to perceive androstenone intensely. Add cultural imprinting to the mix, and the divide becomes clearer. For most, the scent of bacon signals breakfast. For others, it’s a reason to wrinkle their nose.
