I think this could be a great example of a trait with a genetic link for use in classrooms, for instance, for the reason that (assuming the research is verified) there is a lot that happens between the alleles and the food preference. This is a very realistic example that can be experimented with in a classroom more or less safely.

There are not too many traits where genetic variance produces well defined direct outcomes.

Not to be a wet blanket (Come to think of it, that may be a fair description of the smell of cilantro…or maybe more like a wet dog. But I love it anyway.) the Nature headline and yours are both at odds with the researchers’ own take on the data:

“Eriksson and his team calculate that less than 10% of coriander preference is due to common genetic variants. ‘It is possible that the heritability of cilantro preference is just rather low,’ they say.”

Their less-than-impressive findings:

“…nearly half of Europeans have two copies of the ‘soapy’ variant, and of those, 15.3% said coriander tasted of soap. For comparison, 13% of Europeans had no copies of this variant, and in this group, only 11.5% of them reported the soapy taste.”

Have they checked for the other caraway related tastes. I also loathe fenugreek, cumin, caraway, dill, tarragon along with a posse of others. And I can’t abide coriander or curry leaf plants in the garden. It’s not so bad now, but when I was younger most of these were literally nauseating. (My mother and sister have the same problem, but my children haven’t inherited it.)

But it’s true about the seeds. I don’t mind pickling mixes that contain coriander or dill seeds.