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Bill Gates, blog, Firmenich, fragrance, Franziska Josteit, Health, hygiene, In-Imitable, innovation, malodor, perfume, poop, sanitation, scent
Bill Gates wasn’t sniffing “poop” for nothing.
As the billionaire philanthropist explains in a recent Gates Notes blog post, he recently spent time smelling an artificial scent of feces as part of a plan to help people in poor areas have an easier time using the bathroom.
In India and other poor countries, sanitation continues to be a problem – some 800,000 children under 5 die annually from diarrhea or other sanitation-related diseases.
Although pit latrines give people a place to defecate, many smell so bad that people choose to go out in the open, which creates public-health threats by allowing bacteria and disease to spread.
Gates’ solution to this problem: Partner with Firmenich, a 120-year-old perfume company, to develop an “anti-poop” scent that masks bad odors in the same way noise-cancelling headphones use wave patterns to block noise.
Essentially, the perfume acts as a high-tech Febreze, blocking the receptors in your nose that cause you perceive bad odors.
“I continue to be amazed by the innovation that’s underway in the field of sanitation,” Gates writes.
Toilets used to be a taboo subject, he explains. Now they’re subjects of mainstream research that stands to improve the lives of billions around the world.
Let us create a better future! Yours, Fran
In-Imitable Fragrance Passion 
How long do the effects of these chemicals that block odor receptors last? What if you don’t want your odor receptors “blocked”? This is not at all like wearing noise canceling headphones because one has the option of wearing them and they don’t affect the inner workings of the ear. These molecules enter the body and have to be metabolized.
On the other hand what an interesting concept that one could create an odor canceling perfume…Almost like the Emperor’s new clothes.
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Hello Lalun,
thanks for your interest first of all!
I guess there are 3 different ways to cover malodors: 1) spray on top 2) create chemicals to react with each other 3) influencing your perception. The last one is the being used here.
I don’t think that your general smelling is affected, but only those specific receptors will be blocked. How long, i don’t know. But you are right by saying that we cannot chose in that case.
Let’s keep curious! Yours, Fran
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