The short answer is yes. Unborn babies (fetuses) can detect the flavor of foods their mothers eat.

According to Joy V. Browne, PhD, the sensory system is one of the earliest systems to develop. Smell is detected through the nose and pharynx and taste through the tongue. These structures, and the nerves that allow them to function, develop in the first and early second trimesters. Through her diet, a mother provides her fetus and newborn with continuous sensory stimulation, initially through amniotic fluid and later through breast milk.

Eating sugar-rich foods, such as fruits, causes a temporary rise in blood sugar level. But it’s unlikely small amounts of fruit will cause enough of an increase to stimulate an unborn baby. It’s also unlikely that a single exposure to a smell or taste will cause a baby to develop a preference.

One study found that when unborn babies were exposed to anise-flavored foods through their mothers’ diet on an average of six days during the 15 days prior to birth, they showed a preference for the smell of anise after birth, while those not exposed to anise exhibited avoidance behavior when subjected to the smell. These results suggest that smells and flavors can actually cause physiologic and behavioral changes, which may influence early attachment behavior, feeding behavior, and socialization. The breast-seeking behavior that babies exhibit immediately after birth highlights the role of the sensory system in infant survival.