Arnott's Teases Coriander Flavoured Shapes

Australian snack manufacturer Arnott's Biscuits has been killing it in the sweet and savoury category this year, having released a bunch of products that have left us salivating. Ice Coffee Slice, anyone?

But the Australian company has just teased something that might be less popular.

Writing on Facebook, Arnott's clearly wanted to gauge the public's reaction to coriander flavoured Shapes. Unsurprisingly, some people were horrified.

One of the more than 6,000 people who responded to the post replied with: "I love coriander but I still have to ask: Why, when so many people hate coriander? Even i would NOT buy these."

Another added: "Hmmm soap flavoured, they would make a great pallet cleanser."

A third wrote: "What is the world coming to? First Covid. Then Coriander Shapes. I can't take anymore."

But it seems like as though someone people were in favour of the idea.

One Facebook user said: "If you are needing some testers I volunteer as tribute!"

Another replied with: "I would eat 10 boxes of these!!! Yum."

To the people who are dry retching at the thought of these bad boys lining the supermarket aisles, it appears that Arnott's isn't serious about putting them into production.

Miansari66 (Creative Commons)

The company wrote in the post #DontWorryWeAreNotActuallyMakingThese, which gives us a very strong suspicion that it probably isn't going to make these.

If you're wondering why coriander causes such controversy with some people, research suggests genetics to be the likely culprit.

Genetic testing company 23andMe surveyed 50,000 people and asked their thoughts on coriander - also known as cilantro in the US. The results were pretty interesting.

jules/Flickr

When comparing the DNA of coriander haters to coriander lovers, researchers found a gene thought to be associated with those who found it soapy-tasting.

"Cilantro's aromatic qualities primarily depend on a group of compounds known as aldehydes," the report stated. "One type of aldehyde has been described as being 'fruity' and 'green' and another type as being 'soapy' and 'pungent'.

"One of the eight genes near the SNP we identified codes for a receptor called OR6A2, which is known to detect aldehydes such as those found in cilantro."

There's even some evidence to suggest corianderphobes might be able to get over their aversion to it if they were to repeatedly eat the stuff, though we doubt they'll be lining up to take on this challenge.

Topics: Food, News, Australia

Stewart Perrie

Stewart Perrie is a Trending Journalist at LADbible. His first job was as a newsreader and journalist at the award winning Sydney radio station, Macquarie Radio. He was solely responsible for the content broadcast on multiple stations across Australia when the MH17, Germanwings and AirAsia disasters unfolded. Stewart has covered the conflict in Syria for LADbible, interviewing a doctor on the front line, and has contributed to the hugely successful UOKM8 campaign.

@stewartperrie