Developmental changes in food and non-food odor importance – Data from Scotland and Pakistan

Developmental changes in objective olfactory abilities are well-documented, but the subjective importance of odors and olfaction from a developmental perspective has received less scientific interest. Here, in Scotland and Pakistan, we tested the importance of olfaction in 704 respondents (48.9% females) aged between 5 and 75 years old using a novel questionnaire. The scale comprised 18 items targeting six main functions of odor perception: appetite and regulation of food intake, pathogen and hazard avoidance, mating, social relations, bonding, and sensual pleasure. We found that the importance of olfaction was well-developed in children and often exceeded that of the adult samples. Notably, the ingestion-related element of olfactory importance seems to be observable from an early age. Our findings complement and advance the theory of human olfactory learning and help us understand the significance of smells from a developmental perspective.