Could be that. When I think of NY the smell of urine comes to mind.
Bioterrorism?
*Sotolon, also known as *sotolone and fenugreek lactone, is an extremely powerful aroma compound with the typical smell of fenugreek and maple syrup.
The GC-MS analyses of ethanolic extracts from hairy roots revealed the presence of two important compounds: *sotolone (1.2% of the volatile fraction) and 3-amino-4,5-dimethyl-2(5H)-furanone (17% of the volatile fraction).
These results point out that biotechnological production of *sotolone in **bioreactors is possible.
**Bioreactor:
An apparatus, such as a large fermentation chamber, for growing organisms such as bacteria or yeast that are used
in the biotechnological production of substances such as pharmaceuticals, antibodies, or vaccines, or for the bioconversion of organic waste.
Also:
Production System for Biopharmaceuticals.