The reason children turn their noses up at broccoli and Brussels sprouts may be down to bacteria in their mouths, a new study suggests. Enzymes from these vegetables and from bacteria in saliva can produce unpleasant odours in the mouth. Researchers from CSIRO, Australia's national science agency, found parents and their children have similar levels of the odours, suggesting they share the same sort of microbiomes – bacteria – in the mouth. This is also the case for the same enzyme produced by bacteria in some people's oral bacteria. They found large differences between individuals, but that children usually had similar levels as their parents, which the researchers suggest is likely explained by similar microbiomes.

Source: Irish Examiner September 22, 2021 12:00 UTC