Talk:Durian/Archive 1

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Smell

Based on a limited sample size of the people I know, I estimate about three quarters of the population could smell its stench and one quarter don't. It is unlikely that such ability is genetically based. Those who could sense its foul smell would not want to get within 50 feet from the fruit. Those who love the fruit are those immune to the stench.

My mom and my siblings describe the smell as identical to feces of cats. My wife and her siblings all agree with the same observation. My kids would pinch their noses when a durian is in the vicinity, I guess young kids are most truthful in expressing their feelings. However, my mother-in-law and my brother-in-law (husband of my wife's sister) describe the opposite, they found the fruit very fragrant. In fact, my mother-in-law loves durian so much that she often drives the whole family out of the house. I myself cannot smell the stench of durian though I can smell the stench of cat feces; I definely would not tie the two smells together. I find durian to have a very faint fruity sweet smell though I would not call it a strong fragrance. My mother-in-law tried to get me hooked on the fruit. But I've made a conscious decision not to learn to love the fruit because my wife and kids would hate me for it.

I would like to see someone adding more scientific facts to this phenomenon because my own observation is quite limited.

12.234.73.11 07:57, 19 Sep 2003 (UTC)

I can only provide you with my impression, not the scientific roots. I can smell Durian, however for me the smell isn't awful, it is just one special smell - don't know maybe I am not sensible to the one chemical which gives the foul smell. I like to eat dry Durian (that one has almost no smell anymore), however the fresh one depends a lot on the kind of Durian, the first time I tried it it wasn't much good, the second one in a different season was much better, much more sweet. andy 08:31, 19 Sep 2003 (UTC)

I don't find the stench horrible at all. Its nice to smell, actually. In fact, I don't see why it should be placed under the "stinky foods" category, even. I run away from cho tofu, but not durian. I think its more of the psychological effect than anything else. -- Natalinasmpf 21:32, 23 Apr 2005 (UTC)

I recently had the opportunity to sample durian, and I didn't think it smelled "bad" at all, just acrid in the same way onions do when you cut them up. This makes a lot of sense if the durian contains sulfurous compounds which oxidize in air, probably some hydrogen sulfide is getting generated which would lead to feces comparisons. I thought the flesh tasted very sweet, almost like pudding, with a bizarre and complex aftertaste. One of my roommates seemed to really hate the smell ("OH GOD, ARE YOU EATING THAT FRUIT AGAIN?!"), while the other roommate described it as "a strange combination of smells". Maybe it has to do with individual sensitivity to certain sulfurous gases? I don't remember durian being covered in my organic chemistry course but maybe someone has done a study somewhere. Jeeves 06:26, 20 May 2005 (UTC)

When in Singapore last I noticed a sign on the buses which had a picture of a large fruit with a red cross through it (similar to the no smoking graphic). At the time I didn't know what it was or why it would be a prohibited passenger - I think now it must have been a Durian - poor outcast fruit! DeniseFitz

I am a Malaysian and I am a sworn lover of the durian. The smell of the durian is very distinct, and nothing like faeces. To the uninitiated, I guess their sense of smell is untrained and therefore could not make the distinction. The durian gained its title as the "king of fruits" not for nothing. I do not know for sure but someone once said that there is a ketone in durians which is responsible for the smell. I absolutely love the smell of the fruit. The fruit is banned from the premises of some establishments because the smell gets stale, especially when mixed with recycled air. Other than that, it is purely for commercial reasons. No business owner in their right frame of mind will want their premises to smell, especially when it is a smell that needs getting used to. KC.Choi 23:04, 13 October 2005 (UTC)

It's certainly an acquired smell/taste. When I was very young, I used to inquire as to why my mother and great aunt were eating garbage. Now, I really like durian and love the smell -- and I enjoy the moister version (I think; it's hard to tell what it means by drier versus moister version), not the less odorous drier version. And oh, certainly, the smell after being left out for an hour is awful... likely because of the high fat content. Janet13 05:56, 1 November 2005 (UTC)

I'll certainly like to see the scientific info regarding the durian smell. I can smell it but it isn't any offensive than any other fruit scent. I'm a particular fan of the fruit either. I guess some people are not sensitive to a certain kind of chemicals. Much like some people can taste certain chemical in brocoli and find it foul. --Kvasir 05:15, 11 February 2006 (UTC)

As much as I am into a wide variety of foods and taste experiences, I can't get past the smell or even flavour of durian (though, having only tried two, that might not be a fair assessment). My wife and I just picked one up at the Real Canadian Superstore and tried to eat it tonight. The texture was certainly custardy, but I couldn't get past the mixture of "powerful onion" flavour and the creamy-sweet taste; add to that the vague hint of stale urine, and it was too much too bear. I felt terrible about it but we had to discard most of the fruit, as I was getting decidedly and seriously nauseated. I suppose I've met my match in durian! Having said that, I don't have trouble imagining that a good many people can grow to like it. --Rhombus 03:10, 11 September 2006 (UTC)

When I was a kid, I couldn't stand the smell. Now it doesn't bother me, and indeed I imagine that eating an odourless durian would feel vaguely wrong. That being said, the chemicals in the vapour do seem to decompose in some manner; this can often cause extreme bad breath several hours after consumption (as the article states), and transporting durians in an automobile can cause the vapour to linger in the air-conditioning system and the upholstery, where it quickly turns into a stale-durian odour (very unpleasant). This is, more likely than not, the reason why the possession of durians is forbidden in many hotels and public vehicles. Are there any sources that can be cited regarding the odour of stale, as opposed to fresh, durians, and how the odour has a way of changing? 155.69.95.231 (talk) 07:57, 2 April 2009 (UTC)

I'm from Sweden, and I was warned about the smell of the durian before sampling it myself. The first few times I came into contact with durian, I did react quite strongly to the smell. Now, I associate it only with the flavour of the fruit, and I consider the smell a stronger and only slightly different - and highly enjoyable - version of the taste. Our sense of smell is strongly influenced by our propensity for association. Try an experiment: Think of someone vomiting and then have a whiff of parmesan cheese and see what your brain does to you. Khim1 06:14, 21 December 2006 (UTC)

Life Cycle

How are durian seeds distributed in non-cultivated growth? Is this a plant like maize that can only survive now in cultivation? --Elijah 21:21, 2004 Dec 3 (UTC)

If you've seen a real durian before, you'll know that the fruit is not for the feeble-minded. It is not a fruit accessible to many fruit eating animals. The thorns on the fruit prevent animals from plucking them off the branches early. Durians fall off the branches of the tree when they are sufficiently ripe. They don't fall off when they are raw. (I don't know how true it is but I was told that if a raw durian is plucked from the tree, it will not get ripe). Given the height of the trees, one possibility could be that when the fruit hits the hard ground, it cracks open and the seeds get dispersed upon impact. If this doesn't happen, the already ripe durian will still crack when it gets drier. Animals like monkeys can then get access to the flesh of the fruit. KC.Choi 23:18, 13 October 2005 (UTC)

sorry friend i have to disagree. There are quite a few animals in South east asia that are smart enough to open the durian fruit. I am from Borneo and gre up on a piece of land that had about 8 durian trees on it. The biggest nemesis was the simple squirrel. My father used to shoot squirrels because of this. Once a squirrel opens a hole in the durian its pretty much wasted because it leaves opening to all sorts of insects, worms etc. You are however somewhat correct about how to tell if its ripe. If you are an accustomed durian eater you can smell the bottom bit of the durian and if you know what to 'smell' for then you know if its ripe. For begginers i would suggest getting a long stick and giving the durian on the tree just a slight nudge and if it falls it means its ripe. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 122.49.140.87 (talk) 08:45, 17 October 2007 (UTC)

I find they smell of permanent markers. -- 李博杰  | —Talk contribs 06:50, 8 March 2009 (UTC)

Time for FAC?

Hey, this is actually a pretty neat little article. How about we nominate it for featured article status? Maybe with a little more agricultural information, it would be ready. We've already got the photos, good article structure, and copyedited prose. Jeeves 11:28, 26 May 2005 (UTC)

I think not yet. No references, no picture of the edible part, and lots of one and two-sentence "paragraphs". It needs more work. Mark¹ 01:58, 27 May 2005 (UTC)

Indeed, a picture of the edible part would be good. I'd take one myself, but we can only get frozen durians around here and they're extremely difficult to open neatly. As for references, I figured most of this stuff came under the "common knowledge" category, but we can probably dig up some stuff on the Singaporean anti-durian laws etc. Something on the chemicals in the durian would be nice, if it exists. Jeeves 02:02, 27 May 2005 (UTC)

I've promoted this article to Good Article status (a level below FA). It may be ready for FA nomination. Keep making it better! ike9898 14:01, 26 February 2006 (UTC)

There are tonnes of pictures of the durian on the web. Just do a google image search. I would second the suggestion of making this into a featured article. There is really no "anti-durian" laws in Singapore, Malaysia or any other country in SEA. The fruit is prohibited from the premises of some establishments more for the common courtesy of those who don't appreciate its smell than anything else. These rules are owned by the establishments and are not laws. KC.Choi 23:20, 13 October 2005 (UTC)

Biased Smell evaluation

I think the article's sentence "Some regard this odour as fragrant, while the uninitiated often find it overpowering or offensive." is biased. It suggests that only people who do not know what they are talking about dislike the smell. I have been to Singapore where durian is loved and there are stiff fines for carrying durian on the bus. Durian was also banned at the hotel where I stayed. Many, many people find it stinks. I tried durian. I was initiated. I liked the taste (reminiscent of the jackfruit, nicer texture). However, I only ate a bit because I was so nauseated by the stench. The article should admit that most people find the smell of durian very repulsive. It is just a fact. That does not take away from its good taste.—Preceding unsigned comment added by DoSiDo (talk • contribs) 01:37, September 15, 2006

Ok, I tweaked that sentence a bit. The "Flavour and odour" section goes on about the smell for a while too. —Bunchofgrapes (talk) 01:39, 15 September 2006 (UTC)

Fruit is found also in Philippines.

Wonderful fruit

Durian is a wonderful fruit. Let's not go round with its smell. I would rather go for its taste. I am very fond of eating durian especially those branded one. I am quite lucky to be in a place where durian is famous and well received. I wish to share with those who are distant away from Penang but finding a mean to preserve it and make the life of a good durian lasts longer has yet to come to my mind. So to get those branded durian to a distant place by ship is still a dream to come true. Those in distant land could only enjoy durians from Thailand for the time being. Even in Singapore, they eat most of the Thai durians and they have to travel up here to have a taste of the super good durians!!! Penang is having its during season right now, it will soon be over. Don't worry next time I will keep you informed.

I've seen a picture of a durian with red flesh... what is different about it?

Made from babies

Indeed the durian is a wonderful fruit. There are so many varieties today and they come in some fancy names like "Red Lobster" (the red flesh version). I particularly love the bitter-sweet variety. Malaysian and Indonesian durians are the best. They are richer in taste and aroma compared with the Thai version. They are also less fleshy. The Thai durians tend to be bigger and have larger thorns. The flesh is sweeter but lacks character and aroma. The durian is also used in making many types of cakes, desserts and ice-creams. With a few exceptions, the fruit is really not that difficult to open. Over the years of observing how my mom opens up the fruit, I'm quite an expert in doing it myself. All I need is a big knife and a piece of cloth. All you need to do then is to turn the fruit upside down and pry it open. KC.Choi 23:34, 13 October 2005 (UTC)

I agree,Durian, is a beautiful fruit when you actually taste it's juicy,succulent flesh,it is really commonly sold around Tai Po markets in Hong Kong but is usually banned or kept away,from amusement parks and hotels as they are feared to drive away tourists, who may be repulsed by the smell. Wongdai 09:14, 5 April 2007

evolution

I would be interested to know which animals this fruit has evolved to feed. In fact I have the same curiosity with virtually every fruit - but the durian is particularly interesting. The very purpose of fruits is to be delicious, and to be eaten - but who are they trying to appeal to. I find it interesting.

My guess would be that the durian was selectivly bred by humans for our own tastes and consumption. After having just eaten a freshly thawed one, I would have to say it was not meant for me.

Thawed?? Barbarian! Mark¹ 00:27, 29 November 2005 (UTC)

Aha! According to at least one biologist (E. J. H. Corner), the durian may in fact be the proto-fruit - the earliest of all fruit. A veritable living fossil. See here : [1] According to Mr Corner, the original durian may have evolved to feed dinosaurs!

More likely Orang-utans, elephants and bears - the Durian isn't a 'living fossil' but a member of a plant family (Malvaceae) that has diversified greatly in more modern prehistory MPF 09:43, 9 December 2005 (UTC)

fruits don't evolve to feed things, animals evolve to feed on them! 58.6.92.69 (talk) 11:07, 6 June 2008 (UTC)

Actually fruits that propagate by spreading through seeds in animal faeces have indeed evolved to feed things - it is a vital part of their reproductive cycle. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 89.145.252.66 (talk) 18:14, 29 January 2010 (UTC)

Taste/Smell Heading

Would it make the article flow better if there was a new section for Taste and Smell? It seems like most of the paragraphs at the beginning of the article have something to do with those senses. It could be the first section after the introduction.--Thesparrows 04:08, 28 December 2005 (UTC)