Nine in ten people we surveyed said a scent had brought back a personal memory. Three in four said a scent had returned a memory they had completely forgotten. Half said their sense of smell shapes their quality of life, and that held true even among people who have never experienced any loss.
These findings come from The Human Taste & Smell Spectrum, WTSA's 2026 public health survey. It is our major statement for the year.
On World Taste & Smell Day, WTSA Co-Founder & CEO Mindy Yang will present the findings live with the study's scientific advisors, Rachel Herz, PhD, and Martha Bajec, PhD.
We'll walk through what people told us about memory, mood, connection, and the everyday decisions they make with their noses, and why senses that shape nearly every meal and many of our closest relationships still go unmeasured in routine healthcare. Bring your questions. Mindy, Rachel and Martha will take them live.
What would change if we tracked taste and smell across a lifetime the same way we track blood pressure?
Can't make it? The full session will be posted to the WTSA gallery for public viewing with the report by request after September 14th.
Help us take the next step. WTSA is a women-led 501(c)(3), and this report is the starting line. Tax-deductible gifts made on World Taste & Smell Day fund the work these findings point toward: expanding the research, building clinician training, and creating support resources for patients and the caregivers who live alongside sensory loss.
Companies and foundations working in food, fragrance, health, and aging can join us as sponsors of the next phase of research.
