Durian may smell like sweaty socks, but it's also a well-loved delicacy—and here’s why
I Braved the Durian Fruit Smell to Find Out What It Really Tastes Like
Nicknamed “the king of fruits,” durian is one of the most popular foods in Southeast Asia. Beloved by millions, it’s considered a delicacy. There’s only one catch: It’s also known as the stinkiest fruit in the world. The durian fruit smell has been compared to garbage, raw sewage and sweaty socks!
In fact, the smell of durian is so pungent that it has famously been banned from public transit, airports and hotels in Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong and other locales. (Let’s just say, it’s definitely an etiquette mistake to open it in small, enclosed spaces.) Because of its stinky reputation, it hasn’t caught on in the U.S. the way other treats, like the ever-popular bubble tea, have.
So what exactly is durian, and what makes it smell so bad? And given its not-so-fragrant reputation, why do people love it so much? I took one for the team and not only got a deep whiff of that durian fruit smell but also a generous bite of the flesh. Read on for the food facts, including what it tastes like and the science behind the stink.
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What is durian?
Durian is a fruit that’s native to southern China and parts of Southeast Asian countries like Burma and Malaysia. It’s large, with a spiky brown-green exterior you split open to eat the fruit. (The spines are so sharp that there have been a few recorded deaths by durian—imagine reading that in an obituary!) Inside is thick, pulpy, custardy fruit that grows around large seeds, similar to avocado pits. The flesh can range in color from red to golden yellow, but it’s generally a pale yellow.
And even though durian is renowned for its bad smell, it’s incredibly popular in Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam and Indonesia, among other places. It’s considered a delicacy by itself and in traditional dishes (such as the durian sticky rice dessert and the Massaman durian curry) and is priced accordingly—it’s not unusual to see durian that costs $20 to $30 a pound!
What is the characteristic durian fruit smell?
Durian fruit smell is very distinctive but hard to describe. Once you smell it, you’ll recognize it anywhere—all the way down the street! I tried durian with a Malaysian friend, and it was definitely a unique experience.
To try to picture what durian smells like, imagine if fruit was stored in a teenage boy’s sweaty gym sock. The scent was thick and funky, like cutting onions, but mixed with that ripe-fruit smell you get from over-soft mangoes. It definitely has elements of garlic and rotten egg. It smelled like a girls’ seventh-grade gym class: a mix of BO and melon-scented body mist. Like fruit-funk. The sticky parts of the floor in an Asian market. A lit candle that is sandalwood and stress-sweat scented. Eau de toilette sprayed on bleu cheese. Vanilla pudding being cooked in a public bathroom. Are you getting a mental (nasal?) image yet?
My friend offered a different perspective: She never understood why people think durian smells so bad. It’s a specific smell, for sure, and certainly potent. But for her, it’s just the smell of fruit stalls in Malaysia. This made me question whether our difference in cultural exposure was why we both smelled the same fruit so differently. Turns out, there’s more to the story.
Why does durian smell so bad?
What makes durian so stinky? A study published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry broke down durian’s pungent odor into 44 different scent-producing chemical compounds. The researchers described each of the odor compounds they detected in durian; the list includes honey, roasted onion, sulfur, caramel, soup seasoning, rotten egg, rotten cabbage, skunk and fruit. One of the most interesting facts from the report is that it was the first time three of those compounds had ever been detected in a natural product. That’s why durian smells so unique—chemically, there’s nothing else quite like it!
But it isn’t any one compound that results in the infamous durian fruit smell; it’s the combination of them all. However, a more recent study published in Molecules revealed the two sulfur-containing compounds that contribute the most to the funky smell of durian. These are: 3,5-Dimethyl-1,2,4-trithiolane, which imparts a meaty odor, and diethyl trisulfide, which smells like fried onions and garlic. The researchers also found that the presence of these compounds varies in different cultivar variants of durian—hence the slightly different (bad) smell and taste in each variant.
Science has not only answered why durian smells so bad but also why it doesn’t smell bad to some people (like my dear friend). A research article published in Nature Neuroscience tells us that the same scent hits everyone a little differently. In it, Duke University researchers concluded that no two people have identical receptors for smell, which is why they may receive a different odor signal for the same scent.
So ultimately, your anatomy and cultural exposure determine whether you are part of the durian smell hate club or not. But one thing is clear: When it comes to durian’s taste—the fan following is real. Read on if you need a reason to give the tropical fruit a try.
What does durian taste like?
Thankfully, durian tastes better than it smells! It has a complex flavor that’s not quite like any other fruit.
Personally, I think durian has a tropical taste, with the same kind of almost floral undertones you get in lychee. I found it fruity but with a distinct funk, like onion or brie cheese. It’s got a sweet vanilla cream taste, overlaid with a savory garlic flavor. My friend compares it to cream cheese, with a flavor that can waver between savory and sweet. The flesh is thick and custardy, in a pulpy kind of way.
Durian comes in a huge variety of flavors, depending on the strain and the growing conditions. Online, durian-tasting tour guides promise fruit that tastes like a caramel apple, a Snickers bar and more. Each individual fruit is described as having different undertones of chocolate, coffee and custard. Some durian variants can be sweeter, while others are more sour or savory. The flavor of durian even changes within the fruit itself: the pulp on the outside tastes different from the pulp closest to the seeds!
How is durian eaten?
To eat durian, you tear off the spiky exterior and slurp the fruit off the seeds. But be warned: Durian fruit smell can linger indoors. To air out the odor, treat it like you would get rid of a fish smell from your kitchen. In Malaysia, it’s common to see locals spreading newspaper across their front stoop to eat their fresh durian outside.
Durian is a popular flavor in snacks, cakes, candies and more. It’s also used in some savory meals—perhaps most memorably in Pizza Hut’s durian pizza, a limited-edition offering in Shanghai. Although I can’t vouch for its flavor, I can say that the pizza was popular enough that it was sold out when we tried to order it.
Is durian nutritious?
I’ve covered the fruit’s look, smell and taste, but here’s the real deal: durian is healthy. The research wing of the University of Technology Malaysia published a report exploring its nutritional value and found that it’s high in nutrients.
Nutritional value of durian
According to the report, the fiber-rich fruit contains essential vitamins like:
- Vitamin A
- Vitamin C
- Vitamin B6
- Folic acid
- Thiamin
- Riboflavin
- Niacin
The fruit also contains vital minerals like:
- Potassium
- Iron
- Calcium
- Magnesium
- Sodium
- Zinc
- Phosphorus
Durian also has a high water content and offers some protein, making it worthy of the “king of fruits” crown.
Health benefits of durian
The same report lists some interesting health benefits of durian: The fruit’s high folic acid content is good for anemia, and its high fiber content can improve digestion. Historically, the fruit was widely used in traditional medicine due to its anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties.
Can you get durian in the U.S.?
Durian is not one of the foods that are illegal in the U.S., so yes, you can buy it! Don’t let the smell put you off. Durian is worth trying, even if only to be adventurous.
It’s not likely to be at your corner store, but you can find fresh and frozen durian at many Asian grocers. Costco also sells a large pack of frozen durian pulp. However, the durian you buy in the U.S. won’t be the same as you would get fresh in Southeast Asia. Even if you buy a whole durian rather than frozen pulp, it will still have been frozen during transit.
More notably, most durians sent to overseas markets are bred specifically for exporting. For the U.S. market, that commonly means durian that has a less pungent “durian fruit smell” and a more uniform taste.
If you want to try durian, the best way to start is with some durian ice cream, which shouldn’t have a strong smell. It’s an interesting sweet treat, and you’ll get to see why so many people love the fruit—odor and all.
FAQs
Are durian and jackfruit the same fruits?
No. If you and your friend just got into a durian vs. jackfruit debate, know that the two fruits are entirely different.
Does durian smell bad to everyone?
If you were to pull up a list of smelly fruits, there’s a high chance durian would be at the top. However, if you’ve been wondering Why does durian smell good to me?, the answer lies in anatomy. Due to fundamental differences in receptors, two people smelling durian (or any other scent for that matter) might experience it quite differently; one may find the smell pleasant, while the other finds it nauseating. This explains why you may like the durian fruit smell when others around you may not.
Where is durian banned?
No matter how much you like the taste (or smell) of durian, you could get into trouble if you carry it on public transportation or into hotels in some parts of Japan, Singapore, Thailand and Hong Kong.
Is durian the national fruit of any country?
Yes, durian is the national fruit of Singapore and Indonesia.
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Sources:
- Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry: “Characterization of the Major Odor-Active Compounds in Thai Durian”
- Molecules: “Comparative Study on Volatile Compounds and Taste Components of Different Durian Cultivars”
- Nature Neuroscience: “The missense of smell: functional variability in the human odorant receptor repertoire”
- Duke University: “No Two People Smell the Same”
- Nature: “How the durian got its sulfuric stench”
- University of Technology Malaysia: “Exploring the Nutritional Contents and Benefits of Durian (Durio zibethinus)”
- MSN: “The great durian debate: Singapore’s national fruit controversy stuns Malaysians”
