Lecture on Cannibalism and Taste

Introduction

• Eating boogers is considered gross but has potential health benefits.
• Friedrich Bischinger claims snot contains enzymes that can help develop antibodies when reintroduced into the body.

Cannibalism

• Cannibalism is taboo and disapproved by society.
• Instances of cannibalism have occurred due to famine, curiosity, and art.

Notable Cases

• Rick Gibson (1980s): Ate human tonsils and other parts in public.
• Marco Evaristti (2006): Made meatballs from his liposuctioned fat.
• Dutch TV Show (2011): Hosts ate parts of each other.
• Japanese Incident (2012): A meal made from a man's genitals served to diners.
• Armin Meiwes (2001): Killed and ate a volunteer, resulting in a murder conviction.

Taste and Flavor

• Taste vs. Flavor: Taste is a chemical reaction on taste buds, while flavor includes smell, texture, and other sensory information.

Human Meat

• William Seabrook compared human meat taste to veal.

Food Pairing

• Study on global cuisines revealed North American and Western European dishes share flavor compounds, while East Asian cuisines tend to avoid them.

Odd Pairings

• Toothpaste and orange juice create an unpleasant taste due to sodium lauryl sulfate.

You Are What You Eat

• The concept that the food we consume becomes part of our bodies.
• Cats taste ATP rather than sweetness.

Self-Cannibalism

• Humans naturally swallow mucus and dead cells.
• Sea Squirt: An example of extreme self-cannibalism, digesting its own brain once it settles.

Conclusion

• Self-cannibalism is more common than we might think.
• Reflect on the saying "you are what you eat" and consider that you are also what you eat.

Closing

• Thank you for watching.