SMELLBOOK REFERENCE · SB-0052
Banana
Permanent ID: smellbook: · updated 2026-10-06, revision 3
Character EDITORIAL
Soft, sweet and creamy, this fruit smell is rounded rather than sharp, with a gentle sugary warmth.
Words: fruity, sweet, soft, creamy. Families: Temperature and texture, Sweet, fruity and floral.
Met in: Kitchen.
Evidence
Scientific evidence
- Predominant banana volatiles during ripening (CLM-BANANA-001). Xiaoyang Zhu, Qiumian Li, Jun Li, Jun Luo, Weixin Chen & Xueping Li, Comparative Study of Volatile Compounds in the Fruit of Two Banana Cultivars at Different Ripening Stages, Molecules, 2018.
Molecules named in these claims: (E)-2-hexenal, 1-hexanol, hexanal, isoamyl acetate. A molecule listed here is named in a VERIFIED claim about this smell. It is not presented as the cause of the smell; each claim says what its source supports.
Cite
SmellBook. (2026). Banana (revision 3, 2026-10-06). SmellBook Public Atlas. smellbook:smell:banana. https://smellbook.com/smells/banana
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