Futility Closet

Concentrated Yuck

Posted in Science & Math by Greg Ross on May 22nd, 2007

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Denatonium_chemical_structure.png

The bitterest thing in the world is denatonium, a compound discovered by Scottish researchers in 1958. Most people find its taste unbearable even in dilutions of 10 parts per million.

A New York chemist once went home with a trace of denatonium saccharide on his lip. He kissed his wife and she almost threw up.

(Image: Wikimedia Commons)