Photo: Mylo Kaye

Do cremation places smell?

The operators at crematoriums heat bodies to 1,750 degrees Fahrenheit for two to three hours; they liken the smell close-up to a burnt pork roast. Unless someone's standing at the door of the actual cremator, however, it's unlikely anyone will catch a whiff.

slate.com - What does burning human flesh smell like?

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Police in Houston said on Saturday that the remains of a woman who had been strangled by her ex-boyfriend may have been burned over a barbecue on his balcony. * Neighbors said they noticed an awful, acrid odor coming from the grills for two days. What does burning human flesh smell like?

You’ll know it when you smell it. Burning muscle tissue gives off an aroma similar to beef in a frying pan, and body fat smells like a side of fatty pork on the grill. But you probably won’t mistake the scent of human remains for a cookout. That’s because a whole body includes all sorts of parts that we’d rarely use for a regular barbecue. For example, cattle are bled after slaughter, and the beef and pork we eat contain few blood vessels. When a whole human body burns, all the iron-rich blood still inside can give the smell a coppery, metallic component. Full bodies also include internal organs, which rarely burn completely because of their high fluid content; they smell like burnt liver. Firefighters say that cerebrospinal fluid burns up in a musky, sweet perfume. Burning skin has a charcoallike smell, while setting hair on fire produces a sulfurous odor. This is because the keratin in our hair contains large amounts of cysteine, a sulfur-containing amino acid . * (Hooves and nails also contain keratin, which explains why real tortoise shells smell like hair when lit on fire.) The smell of burnt hair can cling to the nostrils for days. The operators at crematoriums heat bodies to 1,750 degrees Fahrenheit for two to three hours; they liken the smell close-up to a burnt pork roast. Unless someone’s standing at the door of the actual cremator, however, it’s unlikely anyone will catch a whiff. Modern cremation systems feature smoke stacks and exhaust fans that remove almost all odor. Decomposed bodies smell especially bad when they’re set on fire. Bacteria inside the organs—starting with the intestines and the pancreas—reproduce and release methane byproducts, which give corpses their distinctive stench. Firefighters call these types of bodies “bloaters,” as the decaying body grows swollen with foul-smelling gases; bloaters that catch fire release the noxious stink. It’s easier to recognize the smell than to describe it. Emergency workers and survivors of war atrocities say charred flesh simply smells like nothing else. The scent is nauseating and sweet, putrid and steaky, or something like leather being tanned over a flame. The smell can be so thick and rich that it’s almost a taste. (Anthropologists and journalists have written about what it’s like to eat human flesh.) J.D. Salinger, who helped liberate concentration camps in World War II, told his daughter, “You never really get the smell of burning flesh out of your nose entirely. No matter how long you live.”

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Explainer thanks Elayne Pope of University of Arkansas.

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How can you tell if a cremated remain is real?

IDENTIFICATION DISK Before the body goes into the oven, a stainless steel disk around the size of a quarter with a unique number is placed with it. That number is then recorded on the paperwork of the deceased. Since the disk doesn't melt, it will remain in tact with the ashes that you receive.

everplans.com - How Can I Be Sure The Ashes I Received Are Really My Loved One?

As a general rule, it’s safe to assume that if you use a reputable crematory the ashes in your possession are, in fact, your loved one. If you’re still skeptical, here are some of the strict protocols they follow:

IDENTIFICATION DISK

Before the body goes into the oven, a stainless steel disk around the size of a quarter with a unique number is placed with it. That number is then recorded on the paperwork of the deceased. Since the disk doesn’t melt, it will remain in tact with the ashes that you receive. If you’re really set on IDing the cremains, you could sift through the ashes and find the remaining disk. Not the best way to spend an afternoon, but whatever gives you closure is fine with me.

SEE FOR YOURSELF

If you plan in advance, crematories will allow you to watch the event take place. In some cultures it's normal, but if you're uncomfortable with this option don't feel obligated to do so.