A study by the University of Durham, UK, confirmed that newborns respond positively to food smells they were exposed to in the womb, highlighting potential implications for early dietary habits.
Researchers analyzed facial expressions of newborns whose mothers consumed carrot or cabbage powder capsules during pregnancy. Babies exposed to carrots reacted positively to the smell after birth, while those exposed to cabbage responded similarly, indicating early familiarity with these flavours.
Using 4D ultrasound scans at 32 and 36 weeks of pregnancy, the study observed fetal reactions to maternal food intake. Fetuses exposed to carrots were likelier to show a “laughing face” expression, whereas those exposed to cabbage demonstrated a “crying face” response. This suggests that flavour perception and preference begin developing before birth.
Further observations of 32 infants confirmed that their responses to familiar smells became more pronounced postnatally. The researchers emphasize that early exposure to certain flavours may help shape lifelong dietary preferences and advocate for larger-scale studies to explore the long-term effects of prenatal food exposure.
