Musings on Quinoa Flavor on October 09, 2013
The Eureka Moment – “I have found it.” – The Bridge between Life and Death
Origin of the Phrase
Ancient Greek: The word “eureka” comes from the ancient Greek word heurēka, which means “I have found it”.
Archimedes: The term traces back to the ancient Greek mathematician Archimedes, who supposedly shouted “Eureka!” and ran through the streets naked after noticing the water level rise in his bath. This observation helped him figure out how to measure the volume of an irregular object.
The chemical compounds specifically responsible for the distinct, foul smell of putrefaction were first discovered and described in 1885 by the German physician Ludwig Brieger.
Brieger isolated and identified the two primary volatile organic compounds generated by the bacterial breakdown of amino acids in decaying tissue:
Putrescine (named after the process of putrefaction)
Cadaverine (named after the word cadaver)
While humans and animals naturally recognize and avoid the smell of rotting organic matter for millions of years as a basic survival instinct, Brieger was the first to uncover the exact scientific and molecular basis of the stench.
The “spermous” primary odor was first proposed and classified by British olfactory scientist John Amoore.
In 1952, Amoore expanded upon early shape-based molecular theories of olfaction. He speculated that the human olfactory system relies on a set of distinct primary odors, much like the primary colors of vision. In his later research, including his landmark 1970s studies on specific anosmia (smell blindness), he identified 1-pyrroline as the key molecule responsible for this specific scent, establishing the spermous odor as a recognized primary olfactory class.
The connection between the odor of putrefaction and the primary odor called spermous was formally detailed by British olfactory scientist and chemist John E. Amoore.
The Discovery and Connection
The “Spermous” Primary Odor: In the 1960s and 1970s, Amoore advanced his stereochemical theory of olfaction by studying specific anosmia (the inability of certain individuals to smell a single, specific class of odor). He discovered that roughly 16% to 20% of the population lacked the specific olfactory receptor required to detect 1-pyrroline, a compound that produces a signature “semen-like” or spermous smell. This led him to classify “spermous” as one of the definitive primary odors of human olfaction.
The Link to Putrefaction: On a biochemical level, 1-pyrroline is produced through the oxidative deamination and cyclical degradation of putrescine—the notorious diamine primarily responsible for the distinctive smell of rotting flesh and tissue decomposition during putrefaction.
Amoore’s work established that the underlying molecular architecture of the “spermous” primary odor is closely intertwined with the volatile chemical compounds generated by bacteria during the decomposition of organic proteins.
The connection between specific nitrogenous bases like 1-pyrroline, the scent of human semen, and the proposition of a distinct olfactory primary called the “spermous” odor was identified and published by researcher A. Dravnieks in 1974.
The connection between the odor of death/putrefaction and the primary odor known as “spermous” exists at the intersection of olfactory science pioneered by John Amoore and modern biochemistry.
The Olfactory Connection: John Amoore
In his seminal work on the shape theory of olfaction and specific anosmias, sensory scientist John Amooreclassified the fundamental “primary odors” of the human sense of smell.
In his early 1962 framework, he listed “putrid” (the odor of decomposition and putrefaction) as one of the original seven primary odors.
In his subsequent research mapping genetic smell blindness, he identified a distinct primary odor category he explicitly termed “spermous” (the characteristic smell of semen, linked to reproduction and the generation of human life), driven by the molecule 1-pyrroline.
The Biochemical Bridge: Death to Life
Biochemists have since mapped the exact structural mechanism that links these two seemingly opposite ends of human existence. The connection is a literal, direct chemical transformation:
| State | Primary Compound | Olfactory Classification | Role in Human Cycle |
|---|---|---|---|
| Death & Putrefaction | Putrescine | Putrid / Foul | Released immediately during cellular decomposition. |
| Transition | Oxidative Deamination | — | The chemical process that breaks down putrescine. |
| Birth & Conception | 1-Pyrroline | Spermous | The primary chemical compound responsible for the smell of semen. |
Through oxidative deamination, the heavy, foul diamine putrescine (the literal smell of rotting tissue) is chemically converted directly into 1-pyrroline (the exact molecule that creates Amoore’s “spermous” primary odor). Nature utilizes the exact same basic chemical footprint to signal both the absolute end of biological life and the baseline compound required to spark new human life.
The concept of a “biochemical bridge between life and death” formulated as a scientific theory of how life emerged (creation via chemical evolution) is most prominently attributed to the Russian biochemist Alexander Oparin.
In the 1920s, Alexander Oparin (alongside British scientist J.B.S. Haldane) proposed the Oparin-Haldane Hypothesis. This fundamental concept of abiogenesis established the primary biochemical bridge explaining how living organisms could emerge from non-living matter.
The Theory of Biochemical Evolution
Oparin’s theory revolutionized how science views creation by mapping out a literal step-by-step molecular transition:
The Primordial Soup: Early Earth possessed a reducing atmosphere rich in methane, ammonia, water vapor, and hydrogen gas.
Organic Synthesis: Energy from lightning and ultraviolet light forced these simple, inorganic components to react, building organic molecules like amino acids.
The Living Coacervate: These organic compounds coalesced into microscopic droplets called coacervates (or protocells). These droplets bridged the gap by processing environmental energy—effectively initiating the very first primitive metabolism.
The Biochemical Bridge between Plants and Animals
Plants that produces the scent of human semen describe a “biochemical bridge”—is tied to anthropomorphic symbolism, evolutionary mimicry, and organic chemistry, most famously embodied by the Amorphophallus titanum (Titan Arum) and the Carob tree (Ceratonia siliqua).
While these plants did not evolve for humans (as they existed millions of years before Homo sapiens), their chemical profiles happen to perfectly mirror compounds found in human biology, creating a striking philosophical link between the botanical world and human life.
The Botanical Candidates
Two primary plants are famous for this distinct biochemical trait:
The Titan Arum (Amorphophallus titanum): Often called the “corpse flower,” its massive bloom releases a complex chemical cocktail to attract carrion beetles and flesh flies. Along with the stench of rotting meat, it releases trimethylamine, a compound that heavily contributes to the specific smell of human semen and infection.
The Carob Tree (Ceratonia siliqua): The male flowers of the carob tree release volatile amines (specifically pyrrolidine and cadaverine) during spring blooming. The resulting aroma is so strikingly similar to semen that it has been noted in literature and local folklore across the Mediterranean for centuries.
The Biochemical “Bridge”
The reason these plants share a scent profile with human reproductive fluid comes down to a group of organic nitrogen compounds called amines.
Polyamines (Putrescine, Cadaverine, Spermidine): In humans, these compounds are vital for cellular growth, genetic stability, and reproduction.
The Paradox of Scent: In the natural world, these exact same chemicals are released during the decomposition of cellular tissue (Death). Yet, in human biology, they are highly concentrated in seminal fluid to protect and nourish sperm (Life).
When a plant synthesizes these volatile phytochemcials to attract pollinators, it inadvertently bridges this human conceptual gap. It uses the chemical signature of cellular decay to ensure its own reproduction and survival, mirroring the very compounds humans use to spark new life.
There is a fascinating and highly specific scientific connection behind this olfactory experience. While your phrasing leans into deeply poetic and philosophical imagery, the observation that cooked or freshly prepared pseudocereals like Chenopodium quinoa can sometimes evoke a scent reminiscent of human semen is grounded in a well-documented biochemical bridge: the presence of volatile polyamines and specific nitrogenous compounds.
The factual breakdown of this phytochemical relationship and how it plays into the “Life and Death” concept includes:
1. The Chemical Culprits: Polyamines and Volatiles
The primary compounds responsible for the characteristic odor of semen are polyamines—most notably spermine and spermidine—as well as their breakdown products, which include volatile amines like putrescine, cadaverine, and trimethylamine.
Plants in the Chenopodiaceae (or Amaranthaceae) family, such as quinoa, are highly unique in their nitrogen metabolism.
Native Aromas: Raw quinoa contains an abundance of green, earthy notes driven by pyrazines and natural saponins.
The Effect of Heating: When quinoa flakes are freshly prepared, steamed, or toasted, high-temperature processing breaks down its rich profile of proteins and free amino acids. Thermal degradation and lipid oxidation liberate specific volatile compounds.
Depending on how the quinoa was washed (leaving behind certain saponins or surface compounds) and the exact heat applied, volatile breakdown products can include simple amines or heterocyclic compounds (like pyrazines and pyrrolines). These compounds strongly mimic or overlap with the human olfactory perception of polyamines.
The “Biochemical Bridge” Between Life and Death
The philosophical framing of a biochemical bridge between life and death is beautifully mirrored by the dual role of these exact phytochemicals:
The Essence of Life: Polyamines (spermine, spermidine) are fundamental to cell growth, DNA stabilization, and survival across all eukaryotic life. In plants, spermidine is a crucial signaling molecule that helps seeds germinate, regulates growth, and protects the plant against environmental stress. Without these compounds, cellular reproduction and life as we know it could not exist.
The Essence of Death: When these exact same nitrogen-rich molecules decay or are broken down via thermal degradation or cellular death, they shift into compounds like putrescine and cadaverine (the classic markers of decomposing organic matter).
When you smell that distinct, sharp, almost metallic or chlorine-like “semen” note in freshly prepared quinoa flakes, your olfactory system is detecting volatile amine and nitrogen-rich compounds. These compounds represent a shared evolutionary toolkit: they are the foundational chemical blocks used by both plants and animals to initiate Life (seed germination and reproduction), which inevitably release similar aromatic signatures during processing, thermal degradation, or Death
What it is to be a Substance? and What it is to Exist? We need to establish knowledge about the man and the world on a firm basis and the information it provides must be tested for its accuracy and consistency with an external reality. We have to make the fundamental distinction between the living and the non-living matter. The scientific advances of the 19th and 20th centuries reinforced the materialistic position concerning the basic similarity of organic living and inorganic physical matter. The man is viewed as a product of natural evolution and is thought to be subject to the same laws of Physics and Chemistry or mechanistic principles.
We need a methodology to study philosophy and to understand philosophical statements. Logical Positivism, also known as Scientific Empiricism aims to clarify concepts in both everyday and scientific language. It describes analysis of language as the function of philosophy. This analysis of language and of concepts is important to understand questions of belief and ideology which affect what we think we ought to do individually and socially. I would use this method of ‘Applied Philosophy’ to analyze the concept of Spiritual Optics, the Spiritual dimension of biological coloration and the synthesis of chemical molecules by plants.
The Magic of Creation can be interpreted from an understanding of Photochemistry and Phytochemistry. Photochemistry provides information about light and matter interactions in the material world where the living things survive using directly, or indirectly the energy trapped by photosynthetic organisms. Phytochemistry provides information about the creation, or the synthesis of chemical molecules by plants which are not endowed with organs of special sensation.
The Magic of Creation is experienced by man who has the faculties of special sensation such as vision, olfaction (smell), and taste. Plants create chemical molecules that have the ability to provide the stimulus to cause a sensation that man can easily recognize. The fact of Creation can be recognized by knowing the color, the odor, the smell, the scent, the fragrance, the aroma, the flavor, and the taste of chemical molecules synthesized by plants.
The Theory of Evolution tries to explain changes in the morphological appearances of organisms which exist under the influence of time. But, the fact of existence of life can only be explained by the unchanging creative mechanisms that operate the Laws of Phytochemistry. We have witnessed changes in the appearances of organisms while the nature, and composition of chemical molecules essentially remains the same, and the same oxidative-reduction chemical reactions operate during the life and death of organisms. For example, the unchanging chemical composition of water molecule makes possible the creation of a wide variety of other chemical molecules to establish biodiversity.
The Magic of Creation – Take the Smell Test:
The detection of chemical molecules that stimulate the smell or olfaction sensation plays an important role in the survival of most animals. Smell is used for identifying and evaluating food, finding predators or prey, marking territory, and to stimulate reproductive activity. In several human traditions, the importance of smell, scent, odor, fragrance, and aroma is recognized and is glorified.
Seven odors such as sweaty, spermous, fishy, malty, urinous, and musky have been described as primary odors. The genetic and molecular analysis of the mechanisms of olfaction are researched by Linda Brown Buck, and Richard Axel who published a paper identifying 1,000 G-protein coupled receptors used for olfaction.
There could be 1,000 genes for Olfactory receptors which may detect the size, and shape of molecules and compose information for further recognition as a specific smell or odor. The word smell, or odor can be used as a general term to describe the quality or the characteristic perceived through the olfactory sense. Smell or odor suggests the presence or existence of something. The term scent refers to the emanation from the thing that is smelled. Scent could be faint, but it is a pervasive smell that gives a clue that could be tracked or followed. Odor is a heavier emanation and is often more clearly recognized. Smell or odor could be pleasant or unpleasant. Several descriptive terms are used to make the distinction between sensations that are appealing or offending. Fragrance is an agreeable, sweet smell, or pleasant odor. Aroma is a pleasant spicy odor. Perfume is relatively strong but usually pleasant smell that is natural, or manufactured. Bouquet is the fragrance of wine or brandy, and is also used to describe the characteristic aroma of a bunch of cut flowers. The term Redolence describes rich, pleasant combination of smells The term stink, or stench describe offending, or repulsive odors emanated by decaying organic materials. The term musty odor describes stale, moldy smell, and denotes the lack of freshness.
Plants create a combination of colors, smells, odors, fragrances, and aromas by synthesizing a variety of chemical molecules even while they lack the specific sensory abilities to recognize the characteristics of those molecules.
Plants synthesize chemical molecules that can be recognized by their smell, scent, odor, fragrance, aroma, and flavor. The sensory recognition or perception of smell or odor indicates the presence of something; the something that I recognize is that of the operation of Divine Providence called Mercy, Grace, and Compassion.
The Quinoa Challenge: The Proof of the Pudding is in the Eating:
I am asking my readers to take the ‘Quinoa Challenge’, which is a simple ‘Smell Test’ to discover the presence of Polyamines Putrescine, Spermidine, and Spermine in the breakfast cereal of Quinoa Flakes made by Ancient Harvest. In 90 seconds, you will find the dietary polyamines without conducting a time-consuming chemical analysis. If your Quinoa porridge has Semen-like smell, it most certainly contains those Polyamines. As the saying goes: “The Proof of the Pudding is in the Eating.”
Plants synthesize chemical molecules that can be recognized by their smell, scent, odor, fragrance, aroma, and flavor. The sensory recognition or perception of smell or odor indicates presence of something; the something that I recognize is that of operation of Divine Providence called Mercy, Grace, and Compassion or God’s Unconditioned Love.
