Abstract
Olfaction is critical to the hedonic appreciation of foods, caloric regulation of food intake, quality of life and taste preferences since birth. However, malnutrition in newborns down-regulates chemosensory function. Thus, olfactory measures might be used as early markers of chemosensory dysfunction in malnutrition, and may also be useful in assessing feeding adjustments during nutritional rehabilitation. Olfactory anomalies originated by malnutrition would be reversed by nutritional rehabilitation following flavor-enhancing odorants.