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Mystery #4Tier 3taste and genes

Why does the herb coriander taste fresh to some people but like soap to others?

To some people, fresh coriander tastes bright, green and lemony. To others, the exact same leaf tastes like a mouthful of soap, and they cannot stand it. They are not making it up or being fussy. Why does one harmless herb divide people so sharply?

A bunch of fresh green coriander leaves spread on a dark wooden table
Photo: Rupeshm364 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · via Wikimedia Commons

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Why do you think the same leaf can taste so different to two people?

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