Why Onions Make Us Cry...and Other Food Mysteries Solved

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Why does fish have a strong smell and meat doesn't?

If you've ever walked by a fishmonger at your local market or been to a restaurant with fresh seafood displays, you've likely encountered that unmistakable, strong "fishy" odor at some point. But when visiting the butcher or local meat counter, you can't smell a thing. This difference boils down to the presence and absence of trimethylamine oxide (TMAO).

Fish rely on TMAO to preserve their fluid balance and maintain a stock of amino acids and amines to counteract the saltiness of seawater. Once fish are killed, their TMAO is converted into trimethylamine (TMA), which is what causes that pungent "fishy" odor. Meat, on the other hand, doesn't have any TMAO and therefore only starts to stink when it's really rotten and no longer safe to eat.