Fish and chips smell of ... ironing boards
Boffins say the hunger inducing aroma of a chip shop is a mix of whiffs including butterscotch, onions, cocoa ... and ironing boards.
A team of food scientists used a process known as 'chromatography mass spectrometry' to break down the smell into components.
These were then sniffed by a 'smell expert' who recorded nine distinct whiffs.
While obvious ones such as potatoes fish and oil were present, so where more unusual odors such as butterscotch, cocoa, onion, flowers, cheese and even ironing boards.
The research by the team at Leeds University was carried out for the Potato Council to help promote National Chip Week.
Dr Graham Clayton said: "Whether oven-cooked or fried, the humble chip aroma is complex and probably explains why chips are everyone’s favourite.
"One might not expect to find butterscotch or cocoa aromas in chips, but it has to be remembered that these are one part of the overall aroma.
"Perhaps these findings will see chips treated like wine in the future – with chip fans turning into buffs as they impress their friends with eloquent descriptions of their favourite fries.”
Erm, maybe not.
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