HAVE you noticed a foul and lingering stench engulfing the cab of your header or truck this harvest? Are you farts silent, but violent? Deafening and long lasting, or fleeting, but blatantly detectable? Have you ever wondered how many times you toot and whether your flatulence is excessive or "normal" compared to everyone else?

With 60 per cent of Australians reporting to CSIRO in 2021 that they experienced excessive flatulence, it got researchers asking the same question-  what is a ‘normal' number of farts per day? And they are on a mission to find out.

CSIRO is calling on Aussies to chart their farts- to help scientists better understand the frequency and characteristics of one of the leading gut health symptoms experienced by Australians. 

People aged 14 or older are being asked to track their flatulence for at least three days, using the free ‘Chart Your Fart' phone app, as part of a new project starting today.

Participants are asked to track the quantity and quality of their outputs, including attributes such as stench, loudness, duration, linger and detectability.

The agency said by sharing their fluffs, people will help to create a chart of what ‘normal' wind may look like in different groups of Australians.   

CSIRO research dietitian, Megan Rebuli, said while some can find farts embarrassing and uncomfortable, healthy bodies are meant to let them go.  

"Passing wind is a natural occurrence and a sign that our digestive system is working as it should, to expel excess gas that is produced from breaking down and processing the food we eat," Rebuli said.   

"Talking about diet often leads into discussion about the other end of eating.  

"Different foods, medical conditions, or even the way we chew, or swallow can have an impact on how our body processes the excess gas, leading to different smells, frequency or even volume." 

The Chart Your Fart campaign is part of newly launched public-led research initiative being driven by CSIRO health and wellbeing researchers in the citizen science space.  

Project lead and CSIRO behavioural scientist, Dr Emily Brindal, said when it comes to health and wellbeing, the community bring personal experience and observations that can better inform research.  

"Research is only as good as the data we have, and we want to work with as much of our diverse Australian community as we can to drive innovation in health and wellbeing research and deliver meaningful outcomes," Dr Brindal said. 

"We want to showcase the potential of public-led research and ask the community to come on board with shaping our future health and wellbeing science.  

"We rely on the public to share their experience with us for so much of our health and wellbeing research, but we also want to hear what research the community wants us to do – it is about keeping it real and relevant, but why not have some fun too?"  

So, while you're stuck driving for hours of the day and weeks on end, why not time your toots… grade your guffs …chart your farts? It's for science…after all.

To register or find out more about participating in the "Chart Your Fart" project, go to https://research.csiro.au/cshw/projects/chart-your-fart/

The free "Chart Your Fart" app is available via Google Play and the App Store.