# Why does lemon juice make fish less "fish-smelling"?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-lemon-juice-make-fish-less-fish-smelling/931704
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [January 28, 2021, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-lemon-juice-make-fish-less-fish-smelling/931704 "2021-01-28T19:02:20Z")
**Posts on this page:** 3
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@CC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CC)
#### Post date: [January 28, 2021, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-lemon-juice-make-fish-less-fish-smelling/931704/1 "2021-01-28T19:02:20Z")
Maybe this goes in Cafe Society, but I’m seeking an actual definitive answer, hence…
Putting lemon juice on fish, or in tuna salad, or whatever, seems to reduce the fishy smell . I think this must be because of some chemical reaction, although it could also be a perceptual thing, akin to putting blueing in with the whites to counteract the yellowing. Anyone actually know? Thanks, Dopers. xo,
C.
---
### Author:  [@Dr.Colossus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Colossus)
#### Post date: [January 28, 2021, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-lemon-juice-make-fish-less-fish-smelling/931704/2 "2021-01-28T19:20:27Z")
Amines. The fish has chemical amines that are counteracted by the acid in lemon.
[More in depth link](https://chemistry.stackexchange.com/questions/115219/why-does-lemon-juice-reduce-the-fish-odor-of-sea-food-specifically-fish).
BTW soaking in milk does the same thing…when I make salmon I give it a little watery milk bath and it makes it so much less “fishy.”
---
### Author:  [@CC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CC)
#### Post date: [January 28, 2021, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-lemon-juice-make-fish-less-fish-smelling/931704/3 "2021-01-28T19:42:44Z")
Beautiful. Thank you. What a great resource this site has been, for years, and before that, the book.