Should mixed peel smell like this?

[RoxyMoosic]

I’m making pancakes and I thought I would sprinkle some mixed peel over them while they are cooking in the pan. I bought some from Asda and I decided to give it a whiff when I opened; expecting a nice citrus aroma. It smelt really unpleasant! Like rotten fruit. It smelt fermented, like alcohol.

I have used mixed peel before in cakes and I can’t remember it smelling bad. But then again I can’t remember smelling it either. Is it supposed to smell like this or has it gone bad? I don’t think I’ll be using it in any case as it smells really off-putting.

No it should smell lovely.

It shouldn't smell rotten and it's practically impossible to make it 'go off' as such as it's preserved with sugar and lasts years! Maybe for some reason that is a bad batch! I dunno, I use it in cakes but have never noticed much of a smell from it but then I don't deliberately smell it. The cheap supermarket stuff is just that, far more aroma and flavour off the large pieces you have to chop up yourself. Would never think of sprinkling it on a pancake though, feel it needs to be rehydrated a bit in liquidy mix like cake to make it tasty.

Use some good marmalade instead. I am with pp’s. I can’t think how you can make mixed peel smell off.

Thanks folks. I think I’ll get some in M&S and compare! Hopefully will smell better…