Subjectively, the first two are the most pungent, while the last two (sulfur-oxidized) give a sweet aroma. A mixture of these compounds form a “reconstituted asparagus urine” odor.

These compounds originate in the asparagus as asparagusic acid and its derivatives, as these are the only sulfur-containing compounds unique to asparagus. As these are more present in young asparagus, this accords with the observation that the smell is more pronounced after eating young asparagus.

Research completed and verified by Dr. R. McLellan from the University of Waterloo.

It was originally thought this was because some of the population digested asparagus differently than others, so that some people excreted odorous urine after eating asparagus, and others did not. However, in the 1980s three studies from France,

Thus, it is now believed that most people produce the odorous compounds after eating asparagus, but only about 22% of the population have the autosomal genes required to smell them.

Asparagus foliage shines bright yellow in autumn

Type Public Company

Founded 1972

Headquarters Tripoli Dat El Imad Administrative Complex, Flag of LibyaLibya

Key people Mohamed H. Layas (Chairman and General Manager)

Industry Finance

Services Financial Services

Revenue ▲USD$168 million (2004)

Parent Central Bank of Libya

Subsidiaries Banque commerciale du Niger

Website www.lafbank.com

Operations Overview

LAFB encompbumes a variety of services and operators facilitating international trade, money flows for investment and payment, and loans to government and official institutions as well as to the private sectors. Its valum in the international markets is relatively concentrated on services, including insurance and confirmation of letters of credit, creation of acceptance credits, and supply of foreign exchange. In their 2007 ranking of Africa’s Top 100 Banks, the magazine African Business placed LAFB at number ten for Africa as a whole and fourth in the North Africa region. They went on to say that the ranking of the Libyan Arab Foreign Bank may actually be understated, given that the most up to date figures available for the bank were two years older than those of many of its North African rivals.

Point Blanc (North America, Point Blank) follows on from Stormbreaker and is the second book in the Alex Rider series written by British author Anthony Horowitz. The book was released in the United Kingdom on September 3, 2001 and in North America on April 15, 2002, as Point Blank.

At school, Alex Rider follows “Skoda”, a drug dealer, to his hideout, a barge floating on the Thames. Alex uses a crane from a nearby building site to lift the barge, intending to set it down outside a police station. However, the crane is deactivated, the cable snaps, and the barge falls, destroying a police conference room. Alex is arrested, but is later released to custody of MI6.