'Pulling a Face', in Response to Foods, Starts Before Birth

Aromas found the mother's diet, can be detected in the amniotic fluid, surrounding the foetus. In addition, the foetal taste buds can detect chemicals, from the 14th week of gestation. A study, in Psychological Science, now suggests the foetus changes facial expression, in response to particular foods (https://www.theguardian.com/science/2022/sep/22/taste-of-kale-makes-unborn-babies-grimace-finds-research). Almost 70 pregnant North-east England women, aged 18-40, were recruited for a Durham University-based study. They had had similar rates of vegetable intake. All these subjects (and controls- see later), had been asked to eat nothing in the hour before receiving ultrasound scans of their foetus. Twenty minutes before the scan, half the subjects swallowed a capsule containing powdered kale. At the same time, the remainder ingested an identical capsule with carrot powder. The 30 'controls' were women from an archive, not receiving a capsule. Foetuses, whose mothers received the kale powder capsule, commonly 'screwed up' their faces, in apparent response to this bitter vegetable. Counterparts with carrot capsule-swallowing mothers, were much more likely to adopt a 'laughing' face. It's suggested that an extended exposure to kale, might result in the foetus eventually showing a more positive reaction to the vegetable. The study appears to provide further confirmation that, whilst in the womb, our food preferences are honed. Perhaps we can even be 'trained' in utero to adopt a healthy diet after birth?