Question

The consumption of asparagus results in the release of methanethiol and S‑methyl thioesters metabolites in the urine. To some people, these metabolites have a very distinctive odor, but others cannot detect the odor ("asparagus anosmia"). How common is asparagus anosmia? In a genetic study aiming to find the genetic markers supporting the phenotype, researchers contacted 6909 participants in a large scientific cohort and found that 4161 had asparagus anosmia.

Answer 1

Introduction :

According to the study at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health on asparagus anosmia where the research team carried out an analysis on 6909 participants it was explored that :

The association between genetic variation and asparagus anosmia is a trait in more than 9 million genetic variants.

The team identified hundreds of variants in the DNA sequence ,across multiple genes involved in the sense of smell  linked strongly with the ability to detect asparagus metabolites.

The investigation revealed that around 871 variations in DNA sequence were particularly associated with asparagus anosmic. These variations, known as single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), were located on chromosome 1 (a chromosomal region that contains multiple genes connected to the sense of smell).

Now as per the study it was found that out of 6909 participants 4161 had asparagus anosmia.

So in order to know how common asparagus anosmia is :

% of people with asparagus anosmia :

= 60.22 %

So it can be concluded that around 60% of the population can't detect the odor in urine i.e. have asparagus anosmia.

Please let me know if something else is expected of the answer.