Yes, there is small dead mice to swim really at the bottom of a large wine bottle. A more absurd sight for European eyes. Much worse but still considered to be the specialty from China’s South, the smell of the next Exhibit is malmö’s newest Museum. The Icelandic Gammelhai Hakarl (pronounced “Haukarrk”) stinks really pathetic, every hair in the neck is, the breath. Already at a distance of the stomach as subtly vile.

Here, in the former slaughterhouse of the port city in the West of Sweden, directly opposite the Danish capital, Copenhagen, to show Samuel West and Andreas Ahrens until the end of January 2019 80 dishes from all over the world. Disgusting food, depending on who you ask. Not for nothing is the Museum of Disgusting Food Museum. The selection ranges from a frog Smoothie in Peru, about maggot cheese from Sardinia, said Hakarl or Bunny heads to bull penis or in the Egg cooked duck Chicks.

most of The 80 exhibits are genuine, are regularly issued fresh, you can touch it, smell it – a particularly daring visitors can test for themselves how far their disgust to let the limits move.

The fascination of disgust

as the three young Chinese, who travelled from the neighbouring Gothenburg to smell Surströmming, a Swedish specialty, but also an evil-smelling pickled herring. “We know this only from Youtube Videos and wanted to see if we can stand the smell”, they explain. The Test at the smell of glass: you can.

The Look at the culinary atrocities is on second glance a lot more than a smell challenge. “It’s a pretty one-sided Freak would Show, we would show here is just disgusting to eat,” says curator Samuel West. Learns every meal, it is also something of its history and its production. About the snake liquor Habushu from Japan, for the snake only cooled and sewn up is the exception. It thaws later in the wine, it dies quickly in aggressive Pose.

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Kalebet The Museum curator Samuel West Su Callu. A cheese from the stomach of a kid.

©Johan Nilsson, AFP

It is not only a pure food Show, but also an exhibition of human cruelty. About visitors to think, says Samuel West, while he jumps between the exhibits around and touch, Smell and Taste animated. What do we actually eat? Where does it come from? And what is the impact of our eating habits have on the environment?

it is Clear, say West and partner Andreas Ahrens, humanity needs to reduce its meat production. And a more sustainable source of protein they provide. Larvae, grasshoppers, and maggots are as good to eat, but their production is not so harmful for the environment.

While walking through the exhibition is not only required samples from the nose by means of numerous Odor, for example, on the Altar of the stinky cheese. Also, the Emotion of disgust is explored and explained. The creators, it goes to the confrontation with the own borders. Visitors to see that disgust is different in each country. “Disgust is a cultural thing,” says Samuel West. You like the food, is great. What of a delicacy, may lead to the other, however, the fierce Shrike actions.

for example, Root Beer: As a half-American West loves the sweet concoction. His Swedish friends cannot suffer. Salty licorice, for many Scandinavians a treat, however, many other people in the world not at all tasty. It doesn’t have to be a tomato sauce floating sheep’s eye.

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A piece of bull penis? You can cut off in the Museum also and try.

©Anja Barte Perform DPA

pig’s brain, insect larvae, smelly durian

Western fruit hopes that when people with the ambivalence of disgust, you are one day, maybe, also is ready to accept insects as food. “I don’t expect any miracles,” he says. “But I hope the Museum continues some of the discussions.”

On the tried Japanese brain, insect larvae, stink waiting for fruit on this day, Pig by the end of durian, Gammelhai or thousand year old eggs from China. The interest is great, and for the most daring visitors, there is part of applause, even if some of the lands bite discreetly in the sick bag. The foul-smelling Gammelhai tastes Reportedly much better than it smells.

the Museum of The yucky food in Malmö is open until the end of January and will then move to a different city. Where that will be is still to be determined. Samuel West reports of interest from Japan, China, and Canada, but also from southern Germany.

DPA