This Is Why Bacon Smells so Good

It’s a smell that we all know and love, but what is it that makes the aroma of sizzling bacon so enticing?

The folks at the American Chemical Society decided to find out and were able to pinpoint the answer, with a little help from their friends at chemistry blog Compound Interest.

The answer is that the sugar and amino acids in bacon mix in what is called the Maillard Reaction, which produces about 150 aroma compounds that provide the unique smell.

Check out the video from the ACS for more information.