Odor-carrying lipids

Method to Remove Odor-Carrying Lipids from Body Surface of Small Mammals... 

To observe the role of chemical cues in the sexual behavior of males of small mammals, we can alter the odor of females. Hair is a great substrate for odor-carrying lipids. For example, the behaviorally active body odors of sheep reside in the wool fat, also known as suint. Removing hpids from the fur of female mice reduces the lipophilic odorants significantly. Hair near skin glands is often anatomically modified into osmetrichia to hold sebum on its cuticular surface (Miiller-Schwarze et al. 1977). 

Air-poUutant effects on neural and sensory functions in humans vary widely. Odorous pollutants cause only minor annoyance yet, if persistent, they can lead to irritation, emotional upset, anorexia, and mental depression. Carbon monoxide can cause death secondary to the depression of the respiratory centers of the central nervous system. Short of death, repeated and prolonged exposure to carbon monoxide can alter sensory protection, temporal perception, and higher mental functions. Lipid-soluble aerosols can enter the body and be absorbed in the lipids of the central nervous system. Once there, their effects may persist long after the initial contact has been removed. Examples of agents of long-term chronic effects are organic phosphate pesticides and aerosols carrying the metals lead, mercury, and cadmium. 

Raw meat has only a weak sweet aroma resembling serum, and a salty, metallic, bloody taste. However, it is a rich reservoir of compounds with taste properties and aroma precursors (24). Each meat has a distinct flavor characteristic. The flavors of distinct meat species or species-specific flavors are often carried by the lipid fraction (2S). For example 4-methyloctanoic and 4-methylnonanoic acids are specific to mutton while (E,E)-2,4-decadienal is specific to poultry meat. 12-Methyltridecanal has been identified as species-specific odorant in stewed beef, and is responsible for the tallowy and beef-like smell (26). The distinctive pork-like or piggy flavor noticeable in lard has in part been attributed to p-cresol and isovaleric acid (27,28,29). 

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