Bacon. It’s the all-American breakfast staple. A simple food, but one that’s enjoyed by people across the world. Its versatility is undeniable. It can be used in desserts, in traditional breakfast foods and even in quinoa. We could eat it for every single meal (and we’ve tried). The smell of bacon wafting through the air is enough to get anybody out of bed, and brings back childhood memories of lazy weekend mornings when Mom would fry up bacon and eggs just for you. Awww.
But, what exactly makes bacon smell so good? According to this video by the American Chemical Society and the Compound Interest Blog, there are approximately 150 organic compounds that create bacon’s delicious aroma. These compounds are produced by the Maillard Reaction (which is also responsible for turning your food brown as it cooks) in combination with the melting fats from the bacon. Although 150 seems like an extreme amount for such a simple food, it breaks down to simple hydrocarbons, aldehydes, pyridines and pyrazines. AKA: basic compounds students in high school Biology know. It’s the combination of these compounds that create bacon’s unique and drool-worthy fragrance. Since there’s no single compound that is responsible for the smell of bacon, it is difficult to replicate the smell (sorry to those who were looking forward to bacon perfume).
Chemical reaction or not, the bottom line is clear—bacon smell is the bomb.com.