It’s part of your genetic code. Olfactory Receptor 6A2. It’s interesting in the cilantro case because it breaks down so cleanly into 2 groups of people who experience such consistent but VASTLY different tastes. We’ve known for a long time a lot of what you think tastes good or not is how your genes set you up to taste it. But usually it’s a lot more subtle, people who do and don’t like something generally agree on the flavor profile with the only real difference being if they enjoy it. Cilantro is fairly unique in that the like it group and the dislike it group experience it as two completely different tastes, but are very consistent within their groups (lemony or soapy). And we’ve found the gene responsible.
It’s a big deal in both the culinary nerd and genetic nerd communities.
Thanks for the explanation.
Do they have an idea what percentage of the pop has the soap taste and what % has the lemon taste receptor?