“Pine Mouth” Leaves Lingering Bad Taste

Tuesday, 12 April 2011 | by Pat's Picks

Pine nuts can literally leave a bad taste in your mouth says the San Diego Union Tribune. Called pine mouth, the “increasingly common taste disorder” causes a bitter, metallic taste to linger in the mouth for two weeks after a person ingests pine nuts. The bad taste is triggered by eating other foods. The FDA is aware of the problem but has been unable to ascertain what causes it.

Medically, it’s referred to as metallogeusia and the recent uptick in cases has experts baffled. Lot everyone seems to be affected by pine mouth, which has led to speculation that it is similar to the asparagus-changing-urine-smell phenomenon. Experts say there’s no evidence that the syndrome poses any health risks. Gargling with equal parts milk of magnesia and water is one way to ease the symptoms.

In an somewhat related article, the New York Times looks at whether the myth about bananas being radioactive is actually true.