Durian releases a chemical compound called ethanethiol, which gets stronger and stronger as the fruits ripens. After a comprehensive search, firefighters identified the smell was not chemical gas, but gas generated from durian, which had been left rotting in a cupboard. The smell of gas reported in a students' library in Melbourne turned out to be a rotting durian. Privacy Statement The reason durian smells so bad has actually been discovered by science. Eating durians directly from their seeds is a whole different story ( Itâs more pleasurable). Keep up-to-date on: © 2020 Smithsonian Magazine. Give a Gift. Weird & Wacky, Copyright © 2020 HowStuffWorks, a division of InfoSpace Holdings, LLC, a System1 Company. A small minority, though, love the smell and taste of the fruit. Now, in a new study in the Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry, a group of scientists from the German Research Center for Food Chemistry has attempted to figure out how exactly the fruit produces such a powerful stench. The compounds are identified by their chemical formulas, which are likely cryptic to anyone without a degree in organic chemistry (1-{sulfanyl}ethanethiol, for example), but the research team associated each one with a particular odor. Food writer Richard Sterling has written “its odor is best described as…turpentine and onions, garnished with a gym sock. Somehow, the combination of these 50 chemicals produces the powerful scent that has entranced and repulsed people the world over. âAfter a comprehensive search, firefighters identified the smell was not chemical gas, but gas generated from rotting durian,â it said. So to get back to your question, I bet the people who like the smell of Durian fruit probably have different smell receptors to those who think its disgusting. or Smell is the second clue that a chemical change is happening. Ethanethiol is made up of different chemicals that can be found in other foods, lending them their smell. Continue The smell of durian is caused by a mix of 44 odor-active compounds, 41 of which have been properly identified, including: 1. ethyl (2S)-2-methylbutanoate 2. ethyl cinnamate 3. We also share information about your use of our site with our social media, advertising and analytics partners who may combine it with other information that youâve provided to them or that theyâve collected from your use of their services. Durians have a notorious aroma likened to rotting meat, turpentine and gym socks. Place a bag of bamboo charcoal in the refrigerator to remove any persistent smell of durians. There are a few other known examples of this, but there is a lot more to find (there are hundreds of different smell receptors, after all). Their analysis suggests that it is not any single compound but instead the mixture of different chemicals that produces the fruit’s powerful stench. The durian is the fruit of several tree species belonging to the genus Durio. So to get back to your question, I bet the people who like the smell of Durian fruit probably have different smell receptors to those who think its disgusting. If youâve smelled a durian even once, you probably remember it. Bamboo Charcoal; Bamboo charcoal has long been used as a deodorizer to remove practically all kinds of smells, from closets to shoe cabinets. 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California Do Not Sell My Info No smell, theyâre not ripe and unless you like crunchy durian, you wonât be happy. But that research didn't investigate the genes behind those compounds. 17th Annual Photo Contest Finalists Announced. Chemical analysis allowed them to produce a simulation of the durian smell, and itâs a rich tapestry. There are a few other known examples of this, but there is a lot more to find (there are hundreds of different smell receptors, after all). Even with the husk intact, the notorious Asian fruit has such a potent stench that it’s banned on the Singapore Rapid Mass Transit. The durian, a husked tree fruit from Southeast Asia, may smell unspeakably terrible, but it still tastes sweet and delicious like its closely related cousin, the jackfruit. The fruit's yellowish flesh is sweet and custard-like, but it comes with an overpowering stench of garbage. Smithsonian Institution. I swear it was some sort of chemical warfare in the house. Native to Southeast Asia, durians are famous throughout the world for their distinct, love-it-or-hate-it taste and smell. Lacking, however, was information on which of those make a contribution to the characteristic durian smell. Reactions Science Videos | August 15, 2017. The former smells fruity, while the latter smells like onions. Durian releases a chemical compound called ethanethiol, which gets stronger and stronger as the fruits ripens. What’s interesting is that none of the compounds individually seem to match with the characteristic durian smell—they range widely, and include labels like fruity, skunky, metallic, rubbery, burnt, roasted onion, garlic, cheese, onion and honey. In doing so, they pinpointed 41 highly odor-active compounds, 24 of which scientists had not identified in durian before. Its taste and smell, however, take some getting used to. If youâve smelled ⦠Despite its sweet taste, the durian is legendary for its repellent odour â akin to raw sewage â and has been banned from public transport systems, airlines and ⦠The authors set out to identify the big chemical players in the durian's odor signature. Cookie Policy Why Was Phrenology All the Rage in Victorian Times? The cocktail of compounds that gives the durian fruit its notorious stench has been identified by chemists.. These smells warn us not to eat this food. 1-(ethylsulfanyl)ethanethiol 4. We use cookies to personalise content and ads, to provide social media features and to analyse our traffic. Chemical analysis allowed them to produce a simulation of the durian smell, and itâs a rich tapestry. Durians have a notorious aroma likened to rotting meat, turpentine and gym socks. Humorous views on interesting, bizarre and amusing articles, submitted by a community of millions of news junkies, with regular Photoshop contests. The fruit's yellowish flesh is sweet and custard-like, but it comes with an overpowering stench of garbage. Get the best of Smithsonian magazine by email. Crazy much but the smell of durian is so pungent when you remove the flesh from the seeds and start mashing them. Our “Off the Road” blog profiled a pair of intrepid travelers on a year-long journey planned around tasting different varieties of durian. Watch Bacteria Mutate Into Drug-resistant Superbugs, Information about the device's operating system, Information about other identifiers assigned to the device, The IP address from which the device accesses a client's website or mobile application, Information about the user's activity on that device, including web pages and mobile apps visited or used, Information about the geographic location of the device when it accesses a website or mobile application. Since the two plants separated, durian has ⦠Image via Wikimedia Commons/Kalai, If you’ve smelled a durian even once, you probably remember it. Vote Now! Among the strongest were compounds that smelled of fruit, rotten onion and roasted onion. Durians are so smelly, and thescent can linger for so long, that many hotels and public transportation in Singapore and Malaysia ban the fruit. Some people love it, while others hate it. Even apart from the smell, durians are a scientific marvel. 'The durian smell has been described as a mix of an onion-like sulphury aroma with notes of sweet fruitiness and savoury soup-seasoning,' said geneticist Bin Tean Teh, deputy director of ⦠There are 30 recognised Durio species, at least nine of which produce edible fruit, with over 300 named varieties in Thailand and 100 in Malaysia, as of 1987. Durians are a divisive fruit from Asia and known for their strong aroma. It’s also used in traditional Asian medicine, as both an anti-fever treatment and a aphrodisiac. How can something smell so darn gross? The smell is very strong and has been described as a combination of ⦠Scientists at the German Research Center for Food Chemistry at the Liebniz Institute carefully recreated a Thai durianâs smell using the 20 chemicals known to make up its aroma. - Stuff, with agencies Facebook Anthony Bourdain calls it “indescribable, something you will either love or despise…Your breath will smell as if you’d been French-kissing your dead grandmother.” The fruit’s flesh is sometimes eaten raw, or is cooked and used to flavor a number of traditional Southeast Asian dishes and candies. Durian is known as the king of fruits in Southeast Asia, but itâs also banned from many public spaces due to its powerful odor. This isn't the first research conducted on the durian's unique scent; in 2012, a team of German researchers identified dozens of chemical compounds that create to combine the smell, publishing their analysis in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. Opinions are mixed about durianâs smell. The answer is kind of complicated: A 2017 study published in Nature Genetics found that the durian is actually related to the fragrant cacao (chocolate) plant. Danita Delimont/Gallo Images/Getty Images. Durian, with its outer spikes, its inner slime, and its arsenal of odors, is an example of what can only be termed edible Stockholm syndrome. This isn't the first research conducted on the durian's unique scent; in 2012, a team of German researchers identified dozens of chemical compounds that create to combine the smell, publishing their analysis in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. Most people who have tried durian either love it or hate it. When combined, however, these two chemicals were indistinguishable from the durian odour. More than 500 people were evacuated from the library at the University of Canberra in Australia when the smell of a durian prompted concerns about a potential gas leak. Smell, smell smell. According to a 2009 Japanese study, durian extract strongly inhibits the enzyme aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH), used by the liver to break down alcohol. This weekâs Reactions video explains the unique chemistry behind durian, and catches our co-hosts at PBS Digital Studios reacting to this stinky delicacy as they try it for the first time. Smell, smell smell. DURIAN SMELL IN THE FRIDGE. The durian is a beloved delicacy in Malaysia, Singapore, and other parts of Southeast Asia. The durian, a husked tree fruit from Southeast Asia, may smell unspeakably terrible, but it still tastes sweet and delicious like its closely related cousin, the jackfruit. Food thatâs rotten or mouldy could make us sick. The effect of this chemical lasts for few hours but the bad breath and body odour will continue till it is completely thrown out of our system by way of sweat or excreta. Those compounds included eight that hadn’t been detected in durians before—and four compounds that had been completely unknown to science. What everyone can agree on is that the fruit’s odor, whether pleasant or dreadful, is uncommonly potent. These were followed by chemicals ⦠10.1021/cen-09829-newscripts-durian-gr1King stink: To the uninitiated, the smell of durian is strange and very intense. Whatever Happened to Eddie the Eagle, Britain’s Most Lovable Ski Jumper? Insights into the Key Compounds of Durian (Durio zibethinus L. âMonthongâ) Pulp Odor by Odorant Quantitation and Aroma Simulation Experiments.