Aversive agents are unpleasantly flavored substances added to poisonous household goods

Household goods

Household goods are goods and products used within households. They are the tangible and movable personal property placed in the living rooms, dining rooms, kitchens, family rooms, great rooms, bedrooms, bathrooms, recreation rooms, hallways, attics, and basements and other rooms of a...

 in order to discourage children from consuming the poisonous household products. Aversive agents are not intended to be harmful, only unpleasant. For example, to prevent children from consuming poisonous anti-freeze, which has a sweet flavor due to the propylene glycol

Propylene glycol

Propylene glycol, also called 1,2-propanediol or propane-1,2-diol, is an organic compound with formula C3H8O2 or HO-CH2-CHOH-CH3...

, an aversive agent is added, which gives the anti-freeze an unpleasant taste. There are two primary classes of aversive agents: bitterant

Bitterant

A bitterant is a chemical that is added to a product to make it smell or taste bitter. Bitterants are commonly used as aversive agents to discourage the inhalation or ingestion of toxic substances.-Examples of use:...

s, chemicals producing a bitter flavor, and pungent agents, chemicals producing an unpleasantly pungent flavor.

See also

• Denaturation (food)
  Denaturation (food)
  Food is deliberately denatured when a substance, known as a denaturant, is added to render the food unpleasant to consume or poisonous. Aversive agents—primarily bitterants and pungent agents—are used to produce an unpleasant flavor. For example, the bitterant denatonium might be added to food used...
  
  , the deliberate addition of an unpleasantly flavored or poisonous substances to food in order to prevent the consumption of the food for various reasons.
• Adulterant
  Adulterant
  An adulterant is a chemical substance which should not be contained within other substances for legal or other reasons. Adulterants may be intentionally added to more expensive substances to increase visible quantities and reduce manufacturing costs or for some other deceptive or malicious purpose...
  
  , a substance added to food for deceptive or malicious reasons, for example to cheaply replace legitimate ingredients.