Odourless durian makes its debut in Thailand

The durian is a fruit known for its powerful smell that delights fans and greatly disturbs others, but a new variety may change that.

The durian is considered the best fruit in Asia, it is said to be the king of fruits and in 2nd place, we find the mangosteennicknamed the fruit queen.

An odourless version of the durian has been introduced in Thailand

This new type of durian is said to be a branch of the popular Mon Thong variety, grown in Nakhon Ratchasima province in northeast Thailand.

Producers claim that this new variety of durian is sweet, tender and has no particular odour.

Currently, this odourless durian variety has been granted a trademark and a certificate of geographical indication (GI) by the Thai National Intellectual Property Office, recognising that the product originates from a specific geographical location and has a prestigious quality attributed to the region.

A fruit banned from public spaces

The strong smell of durian, often compared to a gas leak, used socks mixed with onions or rotting rubbish, is unpleasant for many people.

But for those who like it, the smell is captivating and makes you want to eat it.

At present, the fruit is banned from most hotels, airlines and public transport in many Asian cities, such as Singapore.

One example of a ban occurred in 2017, when a Chinese tourist visiting Thailand was forced to throw away two durians she had bought as gifts after railway officials prevented her from boarding a train because of its unpleasant smell.

In 2019, a durian was thrown near an air vent at an Australian university, prompting students and staff to evacuate the campus and call emergency crews to locate the source.

A fruit that can be deadly if consumed with alcohol

Travellers who are tempted to try this fruit should be reminded that it should never be consumed if you drink alcohol.

Indeed, despite the fact that this information is known in Asia, every year people die from drinking alcohol with durian.

See : Durian becomes deadly with alcohol!

The king of the fruit trade

Thailand recently released its fruit export figures for 2021, with exports increasing by almost half in one year.

According to data from the Atlas of World Trade, this surge in exports has placed Thailand as the 7th largest fruit exporter.

Thailand is the world's largest exporter of durian, with revenues of 187 billion baht in 2021, mainly due to strong demand from the Chinese market.

See also :

Welcome to the land of durians in Thailand

The combination of 2 fruits from Thailand would be beneficial to health

Source: Food Ingredients 1st