DNA mystery: cilantro that tastes like soap
In research studies part of the population reports that cilantro (coriander) tastes like soap or dish detergent. There is a genetic association. First guess how large the share is.
What share of people experience cilantro as soapy-tasting?
About 1 in 10 — and a smell-receptor gene is part of the explanation.
The marker rs72921001 sits near OR6A2 — a smell receptor that responds to aldehydes, the same chemicals that make some soaps smell the way they do. Researchers have found that certain variants are more common in people who experience the soap taste.
It is an association: the share varies between populations, and food habits and culture play a role. Many people with the "soap variant" still enjoy cilantro.
Marker: OR6A2 — rs72921001. Look it up, or check your own variant against your raw data file — locally in the browser, no upload.