Durian Fruit : Smelly but Incredibly Nutritious

Do you know what Durian is ?? Have you ever seen this fruit ?? Have you ever tasted this ??

If your answer is no then you are going to know about a new fruit that you have never encountered with.

What is Durian fruit ?

Durian fruit is generally a kind of fruit which is common in southeast asia and is known as king of fruit.

It is slightly oval in shape and has a formidable looking spikes which could potentially pierce the skin. The fruit can weigh between two to seven pound. However, its otherworldly appearance is dwarfed by another one of its attributes – the smell. Durians have a strong, rank smell that permeates the outer shell and lingers long after the fruit has been removed.

Despite the stench, durian is extremely healthy. Naturally rich in iron, vitamin C, and potassium, durian improves muscle strength, skin health and even lowers blood pressure. Furthermore, one small durian contains 23g of dietary fiber which is nearly equates our daily nutritional requirement.

Why it smells stinky ?

The durian fruit stinks. Literally. The fruit smells like rotten onions. Research has found that an amino acid plays a role in giving the durian fruit its characteristic smell.

The discovery was based on a previous study by researchers at the Leibniz-Institute for Food Systems Biology at the Technical University of Munich that found the odorant ethanethiol and its derivatives were responsible for the fruit’s odor.

The new research study published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry examined the biochemical pathway in the plant to learn how it produces ethanethiol.

The team of researchers discovered that ethionine is the precursor to producing the strong-smelling substance. As the fruit ripens, a plant-specific enzyme releases the odorant from ethionine. During fruit ripening not only the ethionine concentration in the pulp increases, but also the ethanethiol. The latter explains why a ripe durian emits an extremely strong smell.

Some dishes from Durian