What does a decaying corpse smell like?
A decomposing body will typically have a smell of rotting meat with fruity undertones. What does a decomposing human smell like? While not all compounds produce odors, several compounds do have recognizable odors, including: Cadaverine and putrescine smell like rotting flesh. Skatole has a strong feces odor. Indole has a mustier, mothball-like smell. How long does a dead body take to smell? 24-72 hours postmortem: internal organs begin to decompose due to cell death; the body begins to emit pungent odors; rigor mortis subsides.