15 Million Reasons Why September 14th is World Taste and Smell Day

15 MILLION REASONS WHY SEPTEMBER 14TH IS WORLD TASTE AND SMELL DAY

September 14 is World Taste & Smell Day, a day of worldwide appreciation for our wondrous and often neglected senses of taste and smell. When Covid-19 robbed us of our senses of taste and smell, we missed the comfort and delight in freshly baked bread, the flavors and aromas of our favorite meals, the scent of our loved ones, our gardens, and the ground after the rain. Through our loss, we gained a new appreciation for the value of these senses. The World Taste and Smell Association was formed to elevate our awareness and understanding of taste and smell.

This year there are 15 million reasons to commemorate the day. “We now expect that 15 million people will suffer from long-term loss of smell and/or taste because of Covid-19,” says Valentina Parma, Assistant Director of the Monell Chemical Senses Center and advisor to the World Taste and Smell Association. “This loss profoundly impacts people’s health, safety, and enjoyment of life.” Even though we are two and a half years into the pandemic, the extent of the impact of smell and taste dysfunctions on people’s lives is still minimized.

“The World Taste and Smell Association is building a community that supports the millions of people suffering from long-term taste and smell dysfunction, as well as the innovators and scientists advancing these fields. By devoting a day to celebrate all that is wondrous about taste and smell, we can also elevate our appreciation of these most personal and powerful senses,” says Stephanie Feuer, who helms the organization and has suffered from smell and taste dysfunctions since 2017.

For World Taste & Smell Day 2022, there are a host of local activities, from patient-centered clinics in China and the Philippines to a specially created scentless cocktail at Castalia Cocktails in Detroit to a perfumery workshop at the Institute of Art & Olfaction in Los Angeles, and an immersive sensory celebration fundraiser reception at The Salon Project, Perfumarie, the EXQ Cafe in Equinox Rockefeller Center in New York City, featuring Perfumed Spirits, a cocktail, and fragrance pairings experience by Mindy Yang. Purchase your tax-deductible ticket or donate here. A full list of events and activities is available here.

Everyone is invited to attend a virtual event on the Wonders of Taste & Smell Webcast on September 14 at Noon (EST), free by registration in advance here.

Panelists include:

• Mandy Aftel, Natural Essence Expert, Writer, and Perfume Historian [USA]
• Jeanette Andrews, Scent Illusionist [USA]
• Dr. Oghogho Braimah, Award-winning ENT & Neck Surgeon [Nigeria]
• Dr. Joel Mainland, Scientist and Digital Olfaction Pioneer [USA]
• Dr. Barry Smith, Philosopher and Sensory Expert [UK]
• Dr. Tian Yu, Director of Sensory, Aigora [USA]

The webcast will start with an overview of the World Taste & Smell Association’s Perceived Value Survey, designed to uncover how much people value taste and smell. The survey will be available in English, Spanish, Simplified Chinese, French, Arabic, and Italian. It was developed by professors Rachel S. Herz and Martha R. Bajec.

World Taste & Smell Day is sponsored by Takasago, The Salon Project, EQX Cafe, Perfumerie, and HCD Research.

The mission of World Taste & Smell Day is to celebrate how taste and smell enhance our lives, elevate our understanding of these essential senses, and create a community to support exploration and innovation.

For more information, visit www.tasteandsmell.world or contact Stephanie Feuer of World Taste & Smell Association.