By Alexandra Jones
August 27, 2026
This article is from: Summer 2026

Main Facts

For a cheese professional, the sense of smell isn’t merely a tool; it is an indispensable superpower, the very foundation of their craft. It allows them to discern the subtle nuances of terroir, the intricate dance of microbial development, and the precise moment of peak ripeness. But what happens when this essential sense, a cornerstone of their expertise and passion, suddenly vanishes? This harrowing reality has become increasingly prevalent in recent years, impacting esteemed individuals across the global cheese industry. From celebrated educators to veteran mongers, a growing number of professionals are grappling with anosmia—the complete loss of smell—and its devastating companion, ageusia—the inability to taste. Once considered a rare affliction, chemosensory disorders have surged into public consciousness, notably exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, but also stemming from a range of other causes including physical trauma and occupational hazards. For those whose livelihoods and identities are inextricably linked to the intricate world of aroma and flavor, this loss poses not just a professional challenge, but a profound personal crisis, forcing a re-evaluation of career paths, coping mechanisms, and the fundamental privilege of sensory experience. This article delves into the experiences of those affected, the science behind these enigmatic conditions, the nascent efforts towards recovery, and the far-reaching implications for an industry built on sensory discernment.

Chronology: Journeys Through a Scentless World

The personal narratives of cheese professionals who have lost their sense of smell paint a vivid picture of the profound disruption caused by these conditions. Each story, unique in its origin, resonates with a shared sense of loss, adaptation, and an enduring passion for cheese.

Tracey Johnson’s Unforeseen Setback

Tracey Johnson, a highly respected UK-born, British Columbia-based cheese educator, runs the home cheesemaking supply company Cheese Needs and teaches courses at the Academy of Cheese. Early 2025 marked a career pinnacle for Johnson when she received an invitation to judge the prestigious British and Irish Cheese Awards. This recognition was a testament to years spent meticulously developing her palate and honing her sensory abilities, a crucial step towards her ultimate goal of judging at the esteemed World Cheese Awards. The future, in the aromatic world of cheese, seemed bright and boundless.

However, shortly after returning home from her judging engagement, Johnson contracted a severe cold. What initially seemed like a routine illness quickly spiraled into a much graver concern: her sense of taste and smell vanished completely for six weeks. Even as her other cold symptoms receded, the chemosensory void persisted. "My taste was gone completely," she recounts. "I could put chili in my mouth and I wouldn’t know it was there. I literally couldn’t taste anything." Johnson was experiencing a dual assault of anosmia and ageusia. The professional implications were immediate and terrifying. The prospect of her career, so carefully cultivated and passionately pursued, being irrevocably altered loomed large. She deferred taking the American Cheese Society’s Certified Cheese Sensory Evaluator (CCSE) Exam, a crucial benchmark for her professional advancement. Her mental health suffered significantly, a common side effect of anosmia, as the world around her became muted and less engaging. After a series of specialist visits and scans yielded no clear solutions—her sinuses, initially suspected, had cleared on their own—doctors delivered the disheartening news that there was nothing further they could do.

Undeterred, Johnson embarked on a self-directed path to recovery, drawing on research and insights from colleagues who had navigated similar challenges. She initiated a rigorous smell training regimen, three times a day, using pungent essential oils like juniper, lemon, clove, and eucalyptus, rotating them periodically. Complementing this, her doctor recommended a suite of supplements: Vitamin A for neuroplasticity and nerve regrowth, Vitamin B complex for overall recovery and mucus reduction, and Vitamins D, saffron, and magnesium to support her mental health. Her unwavering perseverance began to yield results. Roughly three months into her essential oil regimen, nearly a year after her initial illness, Johnson estimates her senses are "three-quarters of the way back to normal." Her sense of smell is steadily improving, she can identify the five basic tastes, and, perhaps most joyfully, she has begun enjoying cheese again. Her beloved Chällerhocker was the first cheese she recognized, a profound moment of reconnection. With renewed hope, she is now committed to taking the CCSE Exam in July, a significant stride towards reclaiming her place on the judging circuit. "I feel like having any of your senses is such a privilege," Johnson reflects, underscoring the profound appreciation born from her ordeal. "It’s probably one of the most basic things we take for granted."

Steve Millard: A Veteran’s Unexpected Recalibration

Steve Millard, a seasoned industry veteran, cultivated a distinguished career over a decade as senior vice president of merchandising and operations at Murray’s Cheese. His role demanded an exceptionally refined sense of smell and taste, honed through years of dedicated practice and exposure to countless cheeses. His transition to an independent consultant, and subsequently to general manager at Acme Smoked Fish, showcased his adaptable expertise within the broader food landscape.

Then, in 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic swept across the globe, bringing with it an unforeseen personal and professional challenge. Millard contracted the virus, which resulted in a complete loss of his sense of smell for approximately six months. For someone whose career had been intimately tied to sensory evaluation, this was a profoundly unsettling experience. "Being in the food business for so long, I spent a lot of time sharpening my sense of smell and taste," Millard recalls. "To suddenly have that gone, I was like, ‘Is this the end of my career?’" The existential threat to his professional identity was palpable. While his sense of smell has since recovered to an estimated 80% of its former capacity, the recovery has been partial and nuanced. He notes a complete inability to sense the heat from spicy foods, and occasionally experiences "phantom smells" like garlic and chicken broth – olfactory hallucinations that underscore the lingering disruption to his sensory system. Looking ahead, Millard remains pragmatic about a potential return to the cheese world. "I would definitely have to recalibrate," he states. "I don’t think I would ever get back to where I was before." His experience highlights the enduring, sometimes permanent, alterations that chemosensory loss can inflict, even after significant recovery.

Linda Luke: Adapting to Permanent Change

Linda Luke’s journey with anosmia began not with a virus, but with a traumatic physical event. A now-retired cheese broker, Luke experienced a complete loss of her sense of smell and taste 25 years ago. The incident occurred, with a cruel twist of irony, as she was on her way into the Summer Fancy Food Show, a paramount event for the food industry. She suffered a near-fatal allergic reaction, fell unconscious, and hit her head on the sidewalk. This severe trauma resulted in the severing of the delicate olfactory nerves that traverse a bony plate between the sinuses and the brain, leading to permanent anosmia.

Luke was utterly unprepared for the profound impact of this loss. "I was absolutely not prepared for what happens when you lose your sense of smell. We take it for granted because it works on this subliminal level that we’re not even aware of," she explains. The early years were marked by a deep sense of grief and isolation, as she navigated a world suddenly stripped of its aromatic dimension. "I felt like there was a scrim between me and the rest of the world. It had set me a couple of steps away from everybody else." Despite this immense personal challenge, Luke’s career had already been firmly established, built on her ability to communicate the intrinsic value of fine cheese to her clientele. She adapted by leaning heavily on the sensory insights of friends and colleagues, relying on their descriptions to bridge her own sensory gap. More critically, she innovated her professional approach, shifting from describing flavor profiles to a more narrative-driven strategy. "Instead of talking about the flavor profile, I would try to learn more about the history or what part of the manufacturing makes it unique," she elaborates. This pivot allowed her to continue excelling in her role, demonstrating remarkable resilience. "It could have really affected my job if I hadn’t figured out a way to do it." Luke’s story is a testament to the human capacity for adaptation in the face of permanent sensory loss, underscoring the importance of innovative communication and collaborative support.

Liz Steeves: The Occupational Hazard

While viruses and acute trauma are well-known culprits, for some, chemosensory impairment can be an insidious, occupational hazard. Liz Steeves, a freelance cheesemonger based in Connecticut, suspects her prolonged exposure to specific environmental conditions in her workplace contributed to a diminished sense of smell. "I believe my sense of smell was really affected from working in a cave system around high levels of ammonia for 32 hours a week," Steeves explains.

Cheese aging caves, vital environments for developing the complex flavors and textures of artisanal cheeses, are also host to microbial activity that can release various waste products, including ammonia. Proper ventilation is critical to introduce fresh air and safely remove these gases. However, not all aging facilities are equipped with state-of-the-art ventilation systems. Steeves worked in a relatively low-tech cave, spending years diligently flipping wheels and scrubbing rinds. Over time, she noticed a gradual, yet undeniable, change in her sensory perception. The sharp, biting aroma that typically greets one upon entering a cheese cave, a hallmark of its unique ecosystem, became imperceptible to her. "When I go in the cave, it just feels like regular breathing," she observes, realizing that "I wasn’t smelling things the way I used to."

While her sense of taste remains intact, Steeves’s olfactory sensitivity has markedly decreased. This was starkly confirmed when she attempted to identify the smells in a wine aroma kit and "got every answer wrong." Despite this, her extensive experience—over a decade in the industry—instills confidence in her professional abilities. However, she acknowledges that certain challenges, such as undertaking the American Cheese Society’s Certified Cheese Sensory Evaluator (CCSE) Exam, will now be considerably more difficult. Steeves frames her situation with a poignant analogy: "It’s like a professional sports star who has bad knees because they played football." She cherishes the experience of working in a cheese cave, a period she describes as "a really cool experience that I miss dearly." Her philosophical acceptance underscores the often-unforeseen trade-offs in highly specialized professions, recognizing that while the loss is significant, it is a consequence of a deeply valued part of her career.

Supporting Data: The Science of Scent and Its Vulnerabilities

The ability to smell, or olfaction, is one of humanity’s most ancient and complex senses, yet it remains, as Hong Wang, a molecular biologist and member of the Monell Chemical Senses Center in Philadelphia, notes, "the least understood of the senses." Despite its enigmatic nature, olfaction profoundly shapes our experience of the world, playing a critical role in safety, pleasure, and, crucially for cheese professionals, the perception of flavor.

The Intricate Dance of Flavor Perception

Wang clarifies the distinction and synergy between taste and smell: "Taste is sensed by the taste buds on the tongue and soft palate. Olfactions are sensed by the olfactory sensory neurons up in the nose, then integrated in the brain together with taste as flavor." This integration is key; without smell, taste is largely reduced to its basic components—sweet, sour, salty, bitter, umami—lacking the rich, nuanced tapestry we perceive as flavor. Our ability to smell has evolved over millions of years, serving as a vital protective mechanism, alerting us to dangers like fire, gas leaks, or spoiled food.

Demystifying Chemosensory Disorders

The term "anosmia" specifically refers to the complete loss of smell. However, it exists on a spectrum of chemosensory disorders:

• Hyposmia: A decreased sense of smell.
• Parosmia: A distorted sense of smell, where familiar odors smell different and often unpleasant.
• Phantosmia: The perception of smells that aren’t actually present.
• Ageusia: The inability to taste, often accompanying anosmia.

These conditions occur when the delicate olfactory nerves, located in the olfactory epithelium high up in the nasal cavity, are damaged or cease to function correctly. These nerves transmit signals directly to the brain, where they are interpreted as odors. The intricate anatomical pathway, particularly where these nerves pass through a bony plate (the cribriform plate) separating the nasal cavity from the brain, makes them vulnerable to injury.

A Multifaceted Etiology: Causes of Sensory Loss

The causes of anosmia and ageusia are diverse, ranging from the transient to the permanent, and have garnered significant public attention in recent years:

• Viral Infections: The most prominent cause in recent memory is COVID-19. The pandemic dramatically increased awareness of smell and taste loss, as it became a hallmark symptom for many. A 2025 study published in JAMA Network Open revealed the widespread impact, finding that 80 percent of subjects who reported loss of smell after having COVID-19 exhibited hyposmia based on clinical tests, while a significant 23 percent experienced severe or total loss of smell. Viruses can cause inflammation that damages the olfactory epithelium, or even directly attack the olfactory neurons and supporting cells. While often temporary, post-viral anosmia can persist for months or even years, leading to chronic impairment.
• Aging (Presbyosmia): Olfaction naturally begins to deteriorate as individuals hit their 70s. This age-related decline, known as presbyosmia, is a common and often irreversible cause of hyposmia.
• Neurological Disorders: Conditions such as Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease frequently manifest with early signs of smell loss, often preceding motor or cognitive symptoms by years. This highlights the close connection between olfactory function and brain health.
• Autoimmune Diseases: Certain autoimmune conditions can affect the nervous system, potentially leading to olfactory dysfunction.
• Medical Treatments: Chemotherapy and radiation therapy, particularly when targeting head and neck regions, can damage taste buds and olfactory neurons, resulting in temporary or permanent sensory loss.
• Physical Trauma: Head injuries, as tragically experienced by Linda Luke, can shear or damage the olfactory nerves as they pass through the cribriform plate, leading to immediate and often permanent anosmia.
• Chemical Exposure: Prolonged or acute exposure to certain toxic chemicals can damage the olfactory epithelium. As Liz Steeves’s case suggests, working in environments with high levels of ammonia, a common byproduct in cheese aging, can be a risk factor. Ammonia is an irritant that can inflame and damage the delicate mucous membranes and olfactory neurons over time, particularly in poorly ventilated spaces. This underscores the importance of stringent occupational safety standards and adequate ventilation in industries like cheesemaking.

The increasing prevalence and understanding of these diverse causes underscore the vulnerability of our senses and the complex interplay of biological, environmental, and pathological factors that can lead to their loss.

Official Responses: Navigating Treatment and Adaptation

The medical and professional communities are increasingly recognizing the profound impact of chemosensory disorders, leading to evolving approaches in diagnosis, treatment, and adaptation within affected industries.

The Medical Frontier: Research and Limited Treatments

From a medical perspective, Hong Wang points out that "the olfactory system has the ability to regenerate, so a lot of times, we can recover from smell loss." This inherent capacity for regeneration offers hope, but recovery is not guaranteed and often requires active intervention.

• Diagnostic Pathways: Individuals experiencing persistent smell or taste loss typically undergo a series of medical evaluations. These often include visits to otolaryngologists (ear, nose, and throat specialists), neurological assessments, and imaging scans such as MRI or CT scans of the head and sinuses. These diagnostics aim to identify the underlying cause, rule out structural abnormalities, or detect nerve damage.
• Lack of Approved Treatments: Despite the growing awareness, there are currently no specific treatments officially approved by the FDA solely for anosmia or ageusia. This highlights a significant gap in medical intervention and the ongoing challenge of effectively treating these complex conditions.
• Promising Clinical Trials: Nevertheless, research continues to explore potential therapies. Small clinical trials have shown promise with treatments such as corticosteroids (to reduce inflammation around the olfactory nerves) and platelet-rich plasma (PRP). PRP involves injecting a concentration of a patient’s own platelets, which contain growth factors, into the affected area to stimulate tissue repair and nerve regeneration. While these approaches offer glimmers of hope, they are still experimental and not widely available.
• Supportive Measures: In the absence of definitive cures, medical professionals often recommend supportive measures. For Tracey Johnson, her doctor recommended a suite of supplements known for their neuroprotective and anti-inflammatory properties: Vitamin A for neuroplasticity and nerve regrowth, B complex for general nerve recovery and reduction of mucus, and Vitamins D, saffron, and magnesium for mental health support. It is crucial to note that these are seen as supportive rather than curative.
• Mental Health Support: A critical "official response" is the increasing recognition of the significant mental health burden associated with chemosensory loss. Anosmia can lead to depression, anxiety, and social isolation due as individuals struggle with the loss of pleasure from food, the inability to detect hazards, and a feeling of disconnect from the world. Johnson’s advice is poignant: "I would encourage anybody going through this to seek support before it gets to the point where you’re talking to your doctor about depression."

Industry Adaptation: Training, Safety, and Professional Resilience

The cheese industry, like other food-centric professions, is slowly developing adaptive strategies to support professionals affected by sensory loss.

• Smell Training (Olfactory Training): This is perhaps the most widely recommended and accessible "treatment" for post-viral anosmia. It involves systematically smelling a set of strong, distinct odors (typically 4-6 essential oils like rose, lemon, clove, eucalyptus) twice daily for several months, rotating the scents every few weeks. The theory behind smell training is to stimulate and "retrain" the damaged olfactory nerves and pathways in the brain, leveraging neuroplasticity to encourage regeneration and improve odor identification. Johnson’s successful recovery demonstrates its potential efficacy.
• Workplace Safety in Cheese Caves: Liz Steeves’s experience highlights the need for stringent occupational safety protocols in cheese aging facilities. While the "terroir" of a cheese cave is vital, so too is the health of its workers. This includes ensuring state-of-the-art ventilation systems that effectively remove harmful gases like ammonia while maintaining optimal aging conditions. Regular air quality monitoring and potential implementation of routine sensory checks for workers in high-risk environments could become industry best practices.
• Adaptive Professional Strategies: Linda Luke’s experience offers a blueprint for adapting a career when sensory loss is permanent. Her reliance on storytelling, historical context, and technical aspects of cheesemaking, rather than direct flavor descriptors, allowed her to continue excelling. This suggests a broader emphasis in professional training on diverse communication strategies and fostering collaborative environments where colleagues can provide complementary sensory information.
• Professional Organizations and Exams: Organizations like the American Cheese Society, which administers the Certified Cheese Sensory Evaluator (CCSE) Exam, may need to consider how to support candidates with impaired senses. While the core purpose of such exams is sensory evaluation, there might be discussions around accommodations, alternative assessment methods, or broader recognition of different forms of cheese expertise. The challenge, as Steeves notes, is significant, akin to an athlete playing with an injury.
• Community and Peer Support: The informal networks of support, where colleagues share research and personal roadmaps to recovery, as experienced by Tracey Johnson, are invaluable. This underscores the power of community in navigating these isolating conditions.

Implications: Reshaping the Sensory Landscape of Cheese

The rising incidence of chemosensory disorders carries profound implications, not only for the individuals affected but also for the specialized industries that rely so heavily on these senses, particularly the intricate world of cheese.

The Personal Toll: Beyond Professional Setbacks

For individuals like Tracey Johnson, Steve Millard, Linda Luke, and Liz Steeves, the loss of smell and taste extends far beyond professional inconvenience. It strikes at the core of human experience:

• Diminished Quality of Life: The simple joys of life—savoring a meal, enjoying the scent of a blooming garden, or smelling a loved one—are severely curtailed. Food, once a source of pleasure and cultural connection, can become merely fuel, or worse, a source of anxiety due to the lack of flavor.
• Personal Safety Risks: The inability to detect essential warning signs like a gas leak, smoke from a fire, or spoiled food poses significant safety hazards, demanding heightened vigilance and adaptive strategies in daily life.
• Mental Health Crisis: As Tracey Johnson experienced, the mental health impact is substantial. Anosmia is strongly linked to depression, anxiety, and feelings of isolation. The world can feel muted, less vibrant, and disconnected. The loss of a fundamental sense can erode one’s sense of identity, particularly for those whose passions and professions are intrinsically linked to it.
• Social Isolation: Food is a cornerstone of social interaction. Inability to participate fully in shared culinary experiences can lead to withdrawal and social isolation, further exacerbating mental health challenges.

Professional Ramifications for the Cheese Industry

The cheese industry, fundamentally built on sensory evaluation, faces unique challenges as more professionals contend with chemosensory loss:

• Erosion of Expert Palates: The potential loss or diminished capacity of highly skilled judges, educators, mongers, and cheesemakers represents a significant blow. These individuals are crucial for quality control, product development, market assessment, and consumer education. A "crisis of expertise" could emerge if experienced professionals are unable to perform their roles effectively.
• Challenges in Quality Control and Production: For cheesemakers, a keen sense of smell is vital throughout the production process—from assessing milk quality to monitoring fermentation and aging. Anosmia could compromise their ability to detect subtle flaws or guide the cheese’s development, potentially impacting product consistency and quality.
• Rethinking Training and Education: Traditional cheese education heavily emphasizes sensory evaluation. The prevalence of anosmia may necessitate the development of alternative training methodologies that incorporate other sensory cues (texture, sound, visual appearance) or rely more on instrumental analysis and collaborative sensory panels.
• Innovation in Evaluation: The necessity to adapt could drive innovation. We might see a greater reliance on scientific instruments for objective measurement of aroma compounds, or the development of new descriptive vocabularies that transcend direct olfactory experience, as Linda Luke demonstrated.
• Increased Awareness and Advocacy: The experiences of cheese professionals can serve as a powerful catalyst for broader awareness and advocacy for chemosensory disorders. By highlighting the profound impact on a specialized and beloved industry, it can garner more attention and funding for research into treatments.

Broader Societal Significance

Ultimately, the stories of these cheese professionals underscore the profound yet often unappreciated "privilege" of our senses. Their struggles shed light on a "hidden disability" that affects millions globally, prompting a re-evaluation of how society understands and supports those living with sensory impairments. It serves as a poignant reminder of the fragility of our sensory world and the complex interplay of biology, environment, and personal resilience in navigating its challenges. As Tracey Johnson aptly concludes, "It’s probably one of the most basic things we take for granted." Their journeys highlight not just the loss, but the incredible human capacity for adaptation, the unwavering passion for craft, and the enduring power of community in a world where the most fundamental senses can sometimes fail.