Durian, a smelly fruit, is commonly found in Southeast Asian countries like Thailand and Malaysia
New Delhi:
Durian, a common fruit in Southeast Asian countries like Thailand and Malaysia, has created chaos at a Bavarian post office in Germany, according to a Guardian article. Six people had to be hospitalized and six others had to be treated for acute nausea after the arrival of a terribly smelly package at the post office.
Local police initially thought it was a dangerous gas but when opening the package, durian fruit was found, causing panic for a while says the report. The situation forced the evacuation of the post office.
Reports suggest that Durian fruits were first used around 1580. The name is derived from the Malay word “duri” which means thorn. The thorny oblong-shaped fruit, weighing one to three kilos, has a greenish-brown skin with a pale yellow flesh inside.
In some countries in Southeast Asia, people call him the “king of fruits” for his appearance and strong smell. The Chinese are apparently known to love Durian and the country imports fruits from Thailand. Durian’s exports bring huge revenues to Thailand and China is the biggest importer. Malaysia also exports large quantities of frozen durian. The Chinese eat it raw or cook it in various ways.
Reports indicate that people like the fruit or find it unbearable for the smell, which has often been compared to rotten onions, ripe garbage or sewers. The foul smell is known to stay in the air for days and the fruit is therefore banned in many countries.
According to smithsonianmag.com, “50 discrete compounds” in Durian are responsible for its smell. Analysis shows that a “mixture of different chemicals” gives the fruit its distinctive smell.
