A team of scientists from Oxford University and the Carolingian Institute in Sweden named a fragrance that most people from different parts of the world and cultural groups like. The vanilla scent was the most pleasant. The results were published in the journal Current Biology.

Previously, experts believed that the cultural origins of different groups played an important role in the perception of odors. But a new study has refuted this theory. Scientists have found scents that everyone loves, regardless of where they were born. Among them were the aroma of vanilla and ethyl butyrate, which smelled like peach. Scientists also found the most offensive odors, such as the smell of isovaleric acid (found in cheese, soy milk, apple juice, and sweat).

The experts studied nine groups of people with different lifestyles. A total of 235 people who were asked to rank the scents on a pleasant to unpleasant scale participated in the analysis.

As a result, the researchers concluded that ethnicity does not play a special role in the perception of odors. Flavor rating is 41 percent based on the molecular composition of the substance and 54 percent on personal preference.