Sampling, identification and sensory evaluation of odors of a newborn baby’s head and amniotic fluid

Abstract

For baby odor analyses, noninvasive, stress-free sample collection is important. Using a simple method, we succeeded in obtaining fresh odors from the head of five newborn babies. These odors were chemically analyzed by two-dimensional gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (GC × GC-MS), and compared with each other or with the odor of amniotic fluid from the baby’s mother. We identified 31 chemical components of the volatile odors from neonate heads and 21 from amniotic fluid. Although 15 of these components were common to both sources, there was an apparent difference in the GC × GC patterns between the head and amniotic fluid odors, so the neonate head odor might be individually distinct immediately after birth. Therefore, we made artificial mixtures of the major odor components of the neonate head and maternal amniotic fluid, and used psychological tests to examine whether or not these odors could be distinguished from each other. Our data show that the artificial odor of a neonate head could be distinguished from that of amniotic fluid, and that the odors of artificial head odor mixtures could be correctly discriminated for neonates within an hour after birth and at 2 or 3 days of age.

Sniffing the human body volatile hexadecanal blocks aggression in men but triggers aggression in women

“…Z statistic images were thresholded using clusters determined by Z > 3.1 and a (corrected) cluster significance threshold of P = 0.05 (as described in Materials and Methods). volatiles (56), yet in contrast to our hypothesis, this report did not mention HEX. We turned to the authors of that report, who explained that the published analysis was not tuned to the near semivolatile range of HEX.…”

“…With the hypothesis in mind that HEX provides babies with exactly such a mechanism, we first note that infant rearing is the one social setting where humans have extensive exposure to conspecific feces, a rich source of HEX ( 22 ). We also turned to a recently published analysis of baby-head volatiles ( 56 ), yet in contrast to our hypothesis, this report did not mention HEX. We turned to the authors of that report, who explained that the published analysis was not tuned to the near semivolatile range of HEX.…”

Sniffing the Human Body-Volatile Hexadecanal Blocks Aggression in Men but Triggers Aggression in Women

“…Parents across cultures are encouraged to sniff their babies (Okamoto et al, 2016), an action that activates brain reward circuits in women (Lundström et al, 2013). Although an initial analysis of baby-head volatiles did not report on HEX (Uebi et al, 2019), in-depth follow-up by the same authors using GCXGC-MS uncovered hexadecanal at about 20% the level of heptanal, the most abundant aldehyde component (Mamiko Ozaki, personal communication). Moreover, we also note in this respect that infant rearing is the one social setting where humans have extensive exposure to conspecific faeces (Case et al, 2006), a rich source of HEX (de Lacy Costello et al, 2014).…”

Body Odours Sampled at Different Body Sites in Infants and Mothers—A Comparison of Olfactory Perception

“…In particular, BOs should be evaluated according to more differentiated hedonic criteria, e.g., in a chemical expert panel or supplemented with a chemical extraction procedure in order to quantify objective odour compounds. This has been done for infant’s heads [ 54 ] but is still pending for other BO sources.…”