title: [Design of artificial foetor flatus based on bacterial volatile compounds].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Excessive flatulence can be a huge social problem. The purpose of this study was to design artificial flatus from bacterial volatile compounds to stimulate research into neutralizing measures.
  
  
  METHODS
  Anaerobic bacteria, representing a broad spectrum, from a recognized international culture collection were included. The strains were incubated in an anaerobic jar. After 24 hours the lid was removed, and the odour was evaluated by a specialist in clinical microbiology.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Four different anaerobic strains were chosen for further studies based on their individual odours. In total, seven different combinations of two or three strains were tested. The combination of Bacteroides fragilis ATCC 25285, Clostridium difficile ATCC 700057 and Fusobacterium necrophorum ATCC 25286 was chosen as it had a suitably foul odour.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It is possible to design artificial flatus from bacterial volatile compounds. The method is easy and inexpensive and can stimulate further research into neutralizing measures.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  none.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  none.
authors.affiliation: usjustesen@dadlnet.dk.
authors.forename: Ulrik Stenz
authors.initials: US
authors.lastname: Justesen
mesh_terms: D001441:Bacteroides fragilis / Q000378:metabolism; D016360:Clostridioides difficile / Q000378:metabolism; D003016:Clostridium perfringens / Q000378:metabolism; D005414:Flatulence / Q000378:metabolism / Q000382:microbiology*; D005675:Fusobacterium necrophorum / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D009812:Odorants / Q000032:analysis*