As forest fires rage in America and Canada, smoke from them often penetrates into cities.
Some people claim to be able to taste the smoke from wildfires, especially when it is very thick and dense.
A survival expert offers tips for protecting your home from wildfires.
When asked if this was actually possible, Derek Daniels, a professor of biological sciences at the University at Buffalo, replied: "From a scientist's perspective, it's not really a taste, even though we talk about it as a taste, it's really a smell.".
Central Islip, N.Y.: People cover their noses while walking in Central Islip, N.Y., June 7, 2023, due to smoke caused by wildfires in Canada.
He said that much of what we humans taste is primarily perceived through smell.
«"There's no such thing as strawberry, cherry, pineapple, or chocolate flavor," Daniels said. "It's just flavor.".
More than 1 million acres have burned in the northwestern United States this wildfire season, and large fires continue to spread.
He said that when you taste dark chocolate, for example, you taste the bitterness and sweetness, but everything else is just smell.
When it comes to wildfire smoke, he said, people are inhaling chemicals and particles in the air that are scientifically just an odor, although they can also be perceived as a taste.
TOPSHOT — Smoke billows across the William R. Bennett Bridge as the McDougall Creek Fire continues to burn in West Kelowna, British Columbia, Aug. 19, 2023.
Daniels said that from a brain perspective, people can perceive a bitter taste, in this case caused by smoke particles in the area.
He said people with heightened sensitivity to bitter tastes, and especially those who tend to think they taste smoke, are often called "supertasters.".
Watch: Dramatic video shows a freight train and crew caught in the middle of Canada's wildfires.
Daniels said the sensation is different from that experienced by people who may have a gene that makes cilantro taste soapy.
«"In fact, if you look at the tongues of people with heightened taste sensitivity, you'll notice that they have a different taste bud structure," Daniels said.
Former University of Buffalo wine tasting expert Katherine Medler expressed a similar opinion in 2023.
Weehawken, New Jersey – June 7, 2023: A woman wears a protective mask as smoke continues to obscure the rising sun behind the Manhattan skyline in New York City. View from Weehawken, New Jersey.
«"Children and some adults tend to have a more pronounced taste buds, and as a result, they may have a more sensitive perception of taste," the press release states. "They are more likely to be able to taste smoke particles that get stuck in their mouths, and this flavor profile is more likely to be bitter or sour.".
Like Daniels, Medler agreed that distinguishing between "flavor" and "aroma" is difficult because aroma is a combination of taste and smell.
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Regardless of whether you can taste smoke, inhaling it is very harmful. So the next time you're near a campfire or wildfire smoke, don't intentionally try to inhale it to see if you're a "supertaster" who can "sense" the flavor of individual smoke particles.
Also, be sure to wear face protection in heavy smoke conditions, especially if you are exposed to smoke for long periods of time.
Original article: Can you taste wildfire smoke? Scientists say it's a complex question.