{{Short description|Late 2000s event in New York City}} {{Use mdy dates|date=December 2023}} From 2005 to 2009, residents of New York City sporadically detected a mysterious sweet smell likened to maple syrup in the air, which was subsequently reported on by local blogs as well as ''The New York Times''.{{r|Johnson 2010}} The source was eventually found to be a Frutarom Industries Ltd. factory in neighboring New Jersey, which was processing fenugreek seeds, commonly used in maple syrup substitutes. The incidents were alluded to in a 2007 episode of the television show ''30 Rock''.<ref name="Chung 2007" />
==History== The smell was first reported on by the blog ''Gothamist'' in the fall of 2005<ref name="Lee 2009">{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/06/nyregion/06sweet.html |title=Mysterious Sweet Smell From 2005 Returns to Manhattan |first=Trymaine |last=Lee |date=January 6, 2009 |work=The New York Times |access-date=6 December 2023 |url-access=limited}}</ref><ref name="Dobkin 2005">{{cite web |last1=Dobkin |first1=Jacob |title=Maple Sugar Smell Mystery! |url=https://gothamist.com/news/maple-sugar-smell-mystery |website=Gothamist |access-date=6 December 2023 |date=Oct 28, 2005 |url-access=registration}}</ref> and continued sporadically into early 2009.<ref name="Johnson 2010">{{cite magazine |url=https://www.wired.com/2010/11/ff_311_new_york/ |title=What a Hundred Million Calls to 311 Reveal About New York |first=Steven |last=Johnson |date=November 1, 2010 |magazine=Wired |access-date=6 December 2023 |url-access=limited}}</ref>
Some New Yorkers feared the sweet smell was a form of chemical warfare. The scent was eventually traced to its source, a Frutarom Industries Ltd. factory in northern New Jersey, which was processing fenugreek seeds, commonly used in maple syrup substitutes. This source was traced through a collaborative process between the citizens of New York City, the city's 311 system, the New York City Office of Emergency Management, the New York City Department of Environmental Protection, and a working group which gathered and analyzed atmospheric data.<ref name="Chung 2019">{{cite web |last1=Chung |first1=Jen |title=Happy 10-Year Anniversary Of NYC Finding The Alleged Source Of The Mysterious Maple Syrup Smell |url=https://gothamist.com/news/happy-10-year-anniversary-of-nyc-finding-the-alleged-source-of-the-mysterious-maple-syrup-smell |website=Gothamist |access-date=6 December 2023 |date=5 Feb 2019 |url-access=registration}}</ref>
==Cultural references== The incidents were alluded to in an episode of the TV series ''30 Rock'' that aired in 2007 ("Somebody to Love"). The episode begins with multiple characters (Liz, Tracy and Jack) smelling maple syrup. Jack likens the smell to a chemical weapon called "Northrax" that he says smells like maple syrup.<ref name="Chung 2007">{{cite web |last=Chung |first=Jen |url=http://gothamist.com/news/as-seen-on-tv-the-maple-syrup-smell-on-30-rock |title=As Seen on TV: The Maple Syrup Smell on 30 Rock |date=November 16, 2007 |work=Gothamist |access-date=6 December 2023 |url-access=registration}}</ref>
== References == {{Reflist}}
== Further reading == * {{cite news |last1=Barbaro |first1=Michael |last2=Schweber |first2=Nate |title=Aromatic Mystery in New York City Is Solved |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/06/nyregion/06smell.html |work=The New York Times |date=6 February 2009 |url-access=limited}} * {{cite web |last1=Coscarelli |first1=Joe |title=The Amazing Maple Syrup Smell Strikes Back in NYC |url=https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2013/09/maple-syrup-smell-strikes-back-in-nyc.html |website=New York |department=Intelligencer |date=18 September 2013 |url-access=limited}} * {{cite web |last1=Horn |first1=Jason |title=Sotolon: The Molecule That Smells Like Pancakes, Fall, and a NYC Mystery |url=https://www.seriouseats.com/sotolon-flavor-molecule |website=Serious Eats |date=12 Oct 2020}} * {{cite web |last1=Lindeman |first1=Scarlett |title=The Mystery of the Maple Syrup Smell |url=https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2010/06/the-mystery-of-the-maple-syrup-smell/57980/ |website=The Atlantic |date=14 June 2010 |url-access=limited}} * {{cite web |last1=Matson |first1=John |title=Mystery of NYC maple syrup smell solved! |url=https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/news-blog/mystery-of-nyc-maple-syrup-smell-so-2009-02-05/ |website=Scientific American |department=News Blog |date=February 5, 2009}}
Category:2000s in New York City Category:Air pollution in New York City Category:Odor
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