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Ex told me I have "bad hygiene and smell like fish" : TwoXChromosomes
Main Post: Ex told me I have "bad hygiene and smell like fish" : TwoXChromosomes
ELI5: Why does fish smell bad?
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So I found the chemistry answer here.
I am interested in the evolutionary answer. Why do humans experience the smell of fish as such a pervasive, pungent and unpleasant smell?
Cooking beef, chicken, pork or generally any mammalian meat smells absolutely delicious and makes you hungry. Aged beef has a distinctive aroma, but doesn't smell bad as such. Even plain rice or pasta smells nice when it's cooking. Fish stinks. The whole kitchen stinks afterwards. Your hands stink. The pan stinks. The smell doesn't go away for a long time. If I was a prehistoric man and I caught a fish, I suspect the smell would put me off. It certainly doesn't make me think "mmm delicious fish".
Top Comment:
This may sound weird, but fish shouldn't smell, well, fishy.
Fish caught in the ocean should smell slightly of salt water and freshwater fish the opposite.
If the fish I was cooking stunk out the whole place I'd bin it.
Edit: 2 sources. This page, and also I'm a chef.
ELI5: Why does fish smell so much more than other kinds of meat?
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Why is that classic "fishy odor" so sharp and so prone to lingering when compared to beef, chicken, etc?
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Not only Fish, but most sea creatures smell when they are taking out of the water. Sea water is rich in salt water, and in order for these animals to maintain fluidity in their cells they have to fill their cells with amino acids and amines(type of ammonia), this is done so their bodies are happy chilling in the ocean. Now their cells are filled with trimethylamine oxide (TMAO), thats the stuff that allows them to live in salty water. But when they are not living in the ocean and are on land this TMAO changes to TMA(trimethylamine), fish enzymes and bacteria create the change. Its just a chemical reaction that happens to the fish. But when this happens, its starts to smell. TMA gives off that odour you're thinking about.
ELI5: why does fish smell bad but is actually tasty?
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I mean, if something smells bad, I would imagine it would taste bad
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Fish produce a chemical called Trimethylamine N-oxide. After this fish has been caught, bacteria convert this compound to trimethylamine, which is released and gives fish the fishy odor that you are smelling. It's really smelly in low concentrations and it's a pretty volatile gas, so it evaporates into the air easily from the fish. Once you cook and eat the fish, however, you can taste and smell a lot more of the fats, oils, proteins and other chemicals in the fish and the overwhelming TMA smell becomes more of a background player to the concert of other flavors.
removing fish smell
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So my room mate this week cooked fish. It stank the whole house out but that cleared. Well this morning when going to defrost something in the microwave I discovered that she had microwaved the fish and the microwave absolutely stinks! Will the smell clear if I just leave the door of the microwave open? Is there something I can use to clear the smell quicker, the smell of this fish makes me gag every time. I don't care if she wants to cook fish but at least have the decency to clear the smell out after cooking it.
Top Comment:
Either lemon juice or vinegar in hot water, might want to boil it in the microwave or at least a very good wipe around.
Failing that, a clothes peg on the nose works too ;)
YSK: is there a weird fish smell in your house? You don't need a plumber; you need an electrician
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Discovered this recently after renovating my bathroom. Was convinced it must be coming from the toilet or the sink, but it didn't smell like sewer. It turns out the light bulbs we were using were too high wattage for the fixtures and after leaving the lights on for awhile, it created a gross fish smell. I did some research and overheating electrical components can cause a fishy smell so if you ever come across it in your own home, call an electrician, not a plumber
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Or check your lightbulbs yourself. Why would you need an electrician for that?
What makes fish smell like fish?
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Also why do fish that smell like fish smell different than shellfish who also smell like fish?
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The smell of fish is caused by amines produced by decay. Fresh fish has no odor, the natural revulsion to fish smell is due to its indication of decay. The majority of the odor comes from cadaverine, which produces a general odor of death and rot, while trimethylamine provides the extra "edge" of the specific odor of fish. Shellfish produce different compounds, and usually decay slower as well, so the odors are different.
EDIT: Should have said "fresh fish has no odor of trimethylamine"; it certainly smells, however this is due to the bacteria in the slime coating, not decay.
ELI5 Why does female genitalia smell like fish?
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I was cleaning the bathrooms at my convenience store job today, and I took out the bags that held discarded sanitary napkins and I was blasted with a waft a fish scent. It was vile, and it got me wondering why is it that it smells that way?
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A bacteria called Gardnerella vaginalis that causes bacterial vaginosis has a fishy odor. Sanitary napkins are conducive to bacterial growth.
HELP! Fish smell when cooking
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I'm a long time vegetarian, no meat since 9. I have never eaten fish and I am kind of fish phobic. I can't touch them or swim in water with fish etc
My kids eat meat/seafood. I've always cooked meat for them but not seafood.
My 14 year old wants to eat healthier and asked for Salmon. I bought it and he agreed to cook it.
Last night he made it and OMG the smell was sooo bad. We had the exhaust fan on and lit a bunch of candles but I felt like I was going to vomit.
How do I stop/limit the smell? I don't push my food issues on my kids and I want to support my son in eating healthy. I just need to find some way to reduce the smell so I can tolerate it.
Help 😷
Top Comment:
To add to the sound advice given by aloehart, you can get rid of the fish smell from the pan by boiling a little vinegar in it. That should help prevent any smell from lingering.