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Durian

2007 Schools Wikipedia Selection. Related subjects: Food and agriculture

                         iDurian
   Fruit of Durio zibethinus.
   Fruit of Durio zibethinus.
                Scientific classification

   Kingdom:  Plantae
   Division: Magnoliophyta
   Class:    Magnoliopsida
   Order:    Malvales
   Family:   Malvaceae ( Bombacaceae)
   Genus:    Durio
             L.

                                   Species

   There are currently 30 recognised species (see text)

   The durian ( IPA: [duɾiɑn]) is the fruit of trees of the genus Durio.
   There are 30 recognised Durio species, all native to southeastern Asia
   and at least nine of which produce edible fruit. Durio zibethinus is
   the only species available in the international market; other species
   are sold in their local region. The durian fruit is distinctive for its
   large size, unique odour (overpowering to some), and a formidable
   thorn-covered husk. Its name comes from the Malay word duri, meaning
   "thorn".

   The fruit can grow up to 40 cm long and 30 cm in diameter, and
   typically weighs one to five kilograms. Its shape ranges from oblong to
   round, the colour of its husk green to brown and its flesh pale-yellow
   to red, depending on species. The hard outer husk is covered with
   sharp, prickly thorns, while the edible custard-like flesh within emits
   a strong, distinctive odour. Some regard this odour as fragrant while
   others find it overpowering or offensive. The seed can also be eaten
   after boiling, drying, frying or roasting.

Species

   Durian trees are relatively large, growing up to 25–50 metres in
   height, depending on species. The leaves are evergreen, opposite,
   elliptic to oblong and 10–18 cm long. The flowers are produced in three
   to thirty clusters together on large branches and the trunk, each
   flower having a calyx ( sepals) and 5 (rarely 4 or 6) petals. Durian
   trees have one or two flowering and fruiting periods each year,
   although the timing of these varies depending on species, cultivars and
   localities. A typical durian tree can bear fruit after four or five
   years. The durian fruit, which can hang from any branch, matures in
   about three months after pollination. Among the thirty known species of
   Durio, so far nine species have been identified to produce edible
   fruits. They are Durio zibethinus, Durio dulcis, Durio grandiflorus,
   Durio graveolens, Durio kutejensis, Durio lowianus, Durio macrantha,
   Durio oxleyanus and Durio testudinarum. However, there are many species
   for which the fruit has never been collected or properly examined, and
   other species with edible fruit may exist.

   D. zibethinus is the only species commercially cultivated on a large
   scale and available outside of its native region. Since this species is
   open-pollinated, it shows considerable diversity in fruit colour and
   odour, size of flesh and seed, and tree phenology. In the species name,
   zibethinus refers to the Indian civet, Viverra zibetha. There is
   disagreement regarding whether this name, bestowed by Linnaeus, refers
   to civets eating durian fruit — which they have been known to do — or
   to the durian smelling like the civet.

   Durian flowers are large and feathery with copious nectar, and give off
   a heavy, sour and buttery odour. These features are typical of flowers
   which are pollinated by certain species of bats while they eat nectar
   and pollen. According to a research conducted in Malaysia during 1970s,
   durians were pollinated almost exclusively by cave fruit bats
   (Eonycteris spelaea). However, a more recent research done in 1996
   indicated that two species, D. grandiflorus and D. oblongus, were
   pollinated by spiderhunters ( Nectariniidae) and that the other
   species, D. kutejensis, was pollinated by giant honey bees and birds as
   well as bats.

Cultivars

   Durio zibethinus (Durian, Malaysian) grown from seed from cultivar D24.
   6 weeks old. Planted in a flower pot, in Singapore, in September 2006.
   Enlarge
   Durio zibethinus (Durian, Malaysian) grown from seed from cultivar D24.
   6 weeks old. Planted in a flower pot, in Singapore, in September 2006.

   Numerous cultivars of durian have arisen in southeastern Asia over the
   centuries. They used to be grown from seeds with superior quality, but
   are now propagated by layering, marcotting, or more commonly, by
   grafting, including bud, veneer, wedge, whip or U-grafting onto
   seedlings of random rootstocks.

   More than 200 cultivars of D. zibethinus exist in Thailand, Chanee
   being the most preferred rootstock due to its resistance to infection
   by Phytophthora palmivora. There are more than 100 registered cultivars
   in Malaysia and many superior cultivars have been identified through
   competitions held at the annual Malaysian Agriculture, Horticulture and
   Agrotourism Show. In Vietnam, the same process has been done through
   competitions held by the Southern Fruit Research Institute.
   A cultivar of Durio zibethinus, Mao Shan Wang, also known as Cat
   Mountain King, from Malaysia.
   Enlarge
   A cultivar of Durio zibethinus, Mao Shan Wang, also known as Cat
   Mountain King, from Malaysia.

   Most cultivars have both a common name and also a code number starting
   with "D". For example, some popular clones are Kop (D99), Chanee
   (D123), Tuan Mek Hijau (D145), Kan Yao (D158), Mon Thong (D159), Kradum
   Thong, and with no common name, D24. Each cultivar has a distinct taste
   and odour. Among all the cultivars in Thailand, though, only four see
   large scale commercial cultivation: Chanee, Kradum Thong, Mon Thong,
   and Kan Yao. Durian consumers do express preferences for specific
   cultivars, which fetch higher prices in the market.

Availability

   A durian stall in Singapore
   Enlarge
   A durian stall in Singapore

   The durian is native to Indonesia, Malaysia, and Brunei. It is grown in
   areas with a similar climate. The centre of ecological diversity for
   durians is the island of Borneo, where it is prized by the local
   people, a passion shared by the orangutan population. Along with D.
   zibethinus, other edible species of Durio such as D. dulcis, D.
   graveolens, D. kutejensis, D. oxleyanus and D. testudinarium are sold
   in local markets in Borneo.
   Durion packaged for sale
   Enlarge
   Durion packaged for sale

   D. zibethinus is not grown in Brunei, where consumers prefer other
   species such as D. graveolens, D. kutejensis and D. oxyleyanus. These
   species are commonly distributed in Brunei and together with other
   species like D. testudinarium and D. dulcis, represent rich genetic
   diversity.

   Although the durian is not native to Thailand, it is currently one of
   the major exporters of durians. Other places where durians are grown
   include Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, Myanmar, India, Sri Lanka, West
   Indies, Florida, Hawaii, Papua New Guinea, Polynesian Islands,
   Madagascar, southern China (Hainan Island), northern Australia, and
   Mindanao in the Philippines. In Mindanao, the centre of durian
   production is the Davao Region. The Kadayawan festival is an annual
   celebration featuring the durian in Davao City. There is some debate as
   to whether the durian is native to the Philippines, or has been
   introduced. Durian was introduced into Australia in the early 1960s and
   clonal material was first introduced in 1975. Over thirty clones of D.
   zibethinus and six Durio species have been subsequently introduced into
   Australia.

   In season durians can be found in mainstream Japanese supermarkets. In
   the West, they are sold mainly by Asian markets.

Trade figures

   Thailand grows and exports considerably more durian than any other
   nation, growing 781,000 of the world's total harvest of 1,400,000
   tonnes of durian in 1999, and exporting 111,000 tonnes of that.
   Malaysia and Indonesia followed, both producing about 265,000 tonnes.
   Malaysia exported 35,000 tonnes in 1999. China is the major importer
   (65,000 tonnes in 1999), followed by Singapore (40,000 tonnes) and
   Taiwan (5000 tonnes). In 1999 the United States imported 2000 tonnes,
   mostly frozen, and the European Community imported 500 tonnes.

Flavour and odour

   Sign forbidding durians on Singapore's Mass Rapid Transit.
   Enlarge
   Sign forbidding durians on Singapore's Mass Rapid Transit.

   Writing in 1856, the British naturalist Alfred Russel Wallace provides
   a much-quoted description of the flavour of the durian:

     "A rich custard highly flavoured with almonds gives the best general
     idea of it, but there are occasional wafts of flavour that call to
     mind cream-cheese, onion-sauce, sherry-wine, and other incongruous
     dishes. Then there is a rich glutinous smoothness in the pulp which
     nothing else possesses, but which adds to its delicacy."

   Wallace cautions that "the smell of the ripe fruit is certainly at
   first disagreeable"; more recent descriptions by westerners can be more
   graphic. The English novelist Anthony Burgess famously said that dining
   on durian is like eating vanilla custard in a latrine. Travel and food
   writer Richard Sterling says:

     "... its odour is best described as pig-shit, turpentine and onions,
     garnished with a gym sock. It can be smelled from yards away.
     Despite its great local popularity, the raw fruit is forbidden from
     some establishments such as hotels, subways and airports, including
     public transportation in Southeast Asia."

   The unusual odour has prompted many people to search for an accurate
   description. Comparisons have been made with the civet, sewage, stale
   vomit, skunk spray, and used surgical swabs. The wide range of
   descriptions for the odour of durian may have a great deal to do with
   the wide variability of durian odour itself. Durians from different
   species or clones can have significantly different aromas, and the
   degree of ripeness has a great effect as well. In fact, three
   scientific analyses of the composition of durian aroma — from 1972,
   1980, and 1995 — each found a different mix of volatile compounds,
   including many different organosulfur compounds, with no agreement on
   which may be primarily responsible for the distinctive odour.

   This strong odour can be detected half a mile away by animals, thus
   luring them. In addition, the fruit is extremely appetising to a
   variety of animals, from squirrels to mouse deer, pigs, orangutan,
   elephants, and even carnivorous tigers. While some of these animals eat
   the fruit and dispose of the seed under the parent plant, others
   swallow the seed with the fruit and then transport it some distance
   before excreting it, the seed being dispersed as the result. The thorny
   armored covering of the fruit may have evolved because it discourages
   smaller animals, since larger animals are more likely to transport the
   seeds far from the parent tree.

History

   Durio zibethinus. Chromolithograph by Hoola Van Nooten, circa 1863.
   Enlarge
   Durio zibethinus. Chromolithograph by Hoola Van Nooten, circa 1863.

   The durian has been known and consumed in southeastern Asia since
   prehistoric times, but has only been known to the western world for
   about 600 years. The earliest known European reference on the durian is
   the record of Nicolo Conti who travelled to southeastern Asia in 15th
   century. Garcia de Orta described durians in Colóquios dos Simples e
   Drogas da India (1563). In 1741, Herbarium Amboinense by the German
   botanist Georgius Everhardus Rumphius (1627–1702) was published,
   providing the most detailed and accurate account of durians for over a
   century. The genus Durio has a complex taxonomy that has seen the
   subtraction and addition of many species since it was created by
   Rumphius. During the early stages of its taxonomical study, there was
   some confusion between durian and the soursop (Annona muricata), for
   both of these species had thorny green fruit. It is also interesting to
   note the Malay name for the soursop is durian Belanda, meaning "Dutch
   durian". In 18th century, Weinmann considered the durian to belong to
   Castaneae as its fruit was similar to the horse chestnut.

   D. zibethinus was introduced into Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) by the
   Portuguese in the 16th century and was reintroduced many times later.
   It has been planted in the Americas but confined to botanical gardens.
   The first seedlings were sent from Kew Botanic Gardens of England, to
   St. Aromen of Dominica in 1884. The durian has been cultivated for
   centuries at the village level, probably since the late 18th century,
   and commercially in south-eastern Asia since the mid 20th century. In
   his book My Tropic Isle, E. J. Banfield tells how, in the early 20th
   century, a Singapore friend sent him a durian seed which he planted and
   cared for on his tropical island off the north coast of Queensland.

   In 1949, the British botanist E. J. H. Corner published The Durian
   Theory or the Origin of the Modern Tree. His idea was that endozoochory
   (the enticement of animals to transport seeds in their stomach) arose
   before any other method of seed dispersal, and that primitive ancestors
   of Durio species were the earliest practitioners of that strategy,
   especially the red durian fruit exemplifying the primitive fruit of
   flowering plants.

   Since the early 1990s, the domestic and international demand for durian
   in the Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN) region has
   increased dramatically, partly due to the increasing affluence in Asia.

Ripeness and selection

   Opening a durian is made easier with a puncture-resistant glove.
   Enlarge
   Opening a durian is made easier with a puncture-resistant glove.

   The ideal stage of ripeness to be enjoyed varies from region to region
   in south-east Asia. Generally, people in southern Thailand prefer their
   durians relatively young, before they have fallen from the tree. Eaten
   in this state, the clusters of fruit within the shell are still crisp
   in texture and mild in flavour. In northern Thailand, the preference is
   for the fruit to be as soft and pungent in aroma as possible. In
   Malaysia and Singapore, most consumers also prefer the fruit to fall
   from the tree and may even risk allowing the fruit to continue ripening
   before opening it. In this state, the flesh becomes richly creamy, the
   aroma pronounced and the flavour highly complex.

   The differing preferences regarding ripeness among different consumers
   makes it hard to issue general statements about choosing a "good"
   durian. A durian that falls off the tree continues to ripen for two to
   four days, but after five or six days most would consider it overripe
   and impalatable. The usual advice for a durian consumer choosing a
   whole fruit in the market is to examine the quality of the stem or
   stalk, which loses moisture as it ages: a big, solid stem is a sign of
   freshness. Reportedly, unscrupulous merchants wrap, paint, or remove
   the stalks altogether. Another frequent piece of advice is to shake the
   fruit and listen for the sound of the seeds moving within, indicating
   that the durian is very ripe, and the pulp has dried out somewhat.

   Durians may be attacked by insect pests which lay eggs in the fruit.
   These develop into worm-like larvae, which burrow into the flesh of the
   fruit. Visible holes in the outside of the fruit can indicate the
   presence of larvae inside.

Uses

Culinary

   Durian fruit is used to flavour a wide variety of sweet edibles such as
   traditional Malay candy, rose biscuits, cakes, and, with a touch of
   modern innovation, ice cream, milkshakes, mooncakes and even
   cappuccino. Pulut Durian is glutinous rice steamed with coconut milk
   and served with ripened durian. In Sabah, red durian (D. dulcis) is
   fried with onions and chilli and served as a side dish. Tempoyak refers
   to fermented durian, usually made from lower quality durian that is
   unsuitable for direct consumption. Tempoyak can be eaten either cooked
   or uncooked, is normally eaten with rice, and can also be used for
   making curry. Sambal Tempoyak is a Sumatran dish made from the
   fermented durian fruit, coconut milk, and a collection of spicy
   ingredients known as sambal.

   In Thailand, blocks of durian paste are sold in the markets, though
   much of the paste is adulterated with pumpkin. Unripe durians may be
   cooked as vegetable, except in the Philippines, where all uses are
   sweet rather than savoury. Malaysians make both sugared and salted
   preserves from durian. When durian is minced with salt, onions and
   vinegar, it is called boder. The durian seeds, which are the size of
   chestnuts, can be eaten whether they are boiled, roasted or fried in
   coconut oil, with a texture that is similar to taro or yam, but
   stickier. In Java, the seeds are sliced thin and cooked with sugar as a
   confectionary. Uncooked durian seeds are toxic due to cyclopropene
   fatty acids and should not be ingested. Young leaves and shoots of the
   durian are occasionally cooked as greens. Sometimes the ash of the
   burned rind is added to special cakes. The petals of durian flowers are
   eaten in the Batak provinces of Indonesia, while in the Moluccas
   islands the husk of the durian fruit is used as fuel to smoke fish. The
   nectar and pollen of the durian flower that honeybees collect is an
   important honey source, but the characteristics of the honey are
   unknown.

Medicinal

   In Malaysia, a decoction of the leaves and roots used to be prescribed
   as an antipyretic. The leaf juice is applied on the head of a fever
   patient. The most complete description of the medicinal use of the
   durian as remedies for fevers is a Malay prescription, collected by
   Burkill and Haniff in 1930. It instructs the reader to boil the roots
   of Hibiscus rosa-sinensis with the roots of Durio zibethinus, Nephelium
   longan, Nephelium mutabile and Artocarpus integrifolia, and drink the
   decoction or use it as a poultice.

   In 1920's, Durian Fruit Products, Inc., of New York City launched a
   product called "Dur-India" as a health food supplement, selling at US$9
   for a dozen bottles, each containing 63 tablets. The tablets allegedly
   contained durian and a species of the genus Allium from India and
   vitamin E. They were claimed to provide "more concentrated healthful
   energy in food form than any other product the world affords".

   Durian typically contains (per 243 grams):
     * Energy: 357 calories
     * Fat: 13.0g
     * Cholesterol: 0mg
     * Sodium 5mg: 5mg
     * Carbohydrates: 65.8g
     * Dietary fibre: 9.2g
     * Protein: 3.6g

Durian customs

   In some Asian countries, durian is believed to have warming properties
   liable to cause excessive sweating. The traditional method to
   counteract this is to pour salted water into the empty shell of the
   fruit, after the pulp has been consumed, and drink it. An alternative
   method is to eat the durian in accompaniment with mangosteen that is
   considered to have cooling properties. People with high blood pressure
   or pregnant women are traditionally advised not to consume durian.

   Another common local belief is that the durian is harmful when eaten
   along with alcoholic beverages. This belief can be traced back at least
   to 18th century when Rumphius declared that one should not drink
   alcohol after eating durians as it will cause indigestion and bad
   breath. J. D. Gimlette claimed in his Malay Poisons and Charm Cures
   (1929) that it was said that the durian fruit must not be eaten with
   brandy. In 1981, J. R. Croft wrote in his Bombacaceae: In Handbooks of
   the Flora of Papua New Guinea that a feeling of morbidity often follows
   the consumption of alcohol too soon after eating durian. Several
   medical investigations on the validity of this belief have been
   conducted, with varying conclusions.

   The Javanese believe durian to have aphrodisiac qualities, and impose a
   strict set of rules on what may or may not be consumed with the durian
   or shortly after. The warnings against the supposed lecherous quality
   of this fruit soon spread to the West. The Swedenborgian mystic Herman
   Vetterling was particularly harsh on durian:

     These erotomaniacs remind us of the Durian-eating Malays, who,
     because of the erotic properties of this fruit, become savage
     against anybody or anything that stands in their way of obtaining
     it. Fraser writes that upon eating it, men, monkeys, and birds 'are
     all aflame with erotic fire.' It is a blessing that this fruit is
     not obtainable in the West, because our store of sexual lunatics is
     already full to overflowing. We might perish in the foulest of
     mucks.

   A durian fruit with its sharp thorns.
   Enlarge
   A durian fruit with its sharp thorns.

   A durian falling on a person's head can cause serious injuries or death
   because it is heavy and armed with sharp thorns, and may fall from a
   significant height, so wearing a hardhat is recommended when collecting
   the fruit. For this reason the durian is sometimes called the most
   dangerous fruit in the world, along with its name in Vietnamese, sầu
   riêng, meaning "private sorrow". However, there are actually few
   reports of people getting hurt from falling durians. Durian farmers
   spread large nets under the trees to catch the fruit when it falls
   naturally, precisely because of the dangers of falling fruit; the nets
   are elastic and placed sufficiently high to prevent the fruit from
   hitting the ground. While there is a belief among locals that the
   durian "has eyes" and will not fall on a person, it is probably because
   fruits on a durian tree don't fall at the same time, which
   significantly decreases the possibility that it will hit a passerby.
   The Malay saying Durian runtuh, which can be translated as "Fallen
   Durian", is used to describe the sudden occurrence of a rare event. A
   similar saying in Indonesian, "mendapat durian runtuh", which
   translates to "getting a fallen durian", means receiving an unexpected
   luck or fortune.

   Some durian are sold "thornless". These fruits have the thorns sheared
   off when young rather than being naturally thornless. Some durians
   really do have almost no spines, i.e. less than 5 mm high.

Cultural influence

   Singapore's Esplanade building, nicknamed "The Durian".
   Enlarge
   Singapore's Esplanade building, nicknamed "The Durian".

   The durian is commonly known as the "king of the fruits", a label that
   can be attributed to its formidable look and overpowering odour. Due to
   its unusual characteristics, the durian has been referenced or parodied
   in various cultural mediums. To foreigners the durian is often
   perceived as a symbol of revulsion. The 19th-century American
   journalist Bayard Taylor said of the fruit, "To eat it seems to be the
   sacrifice of self-respect." It can also be seen in the Japanese anime
   Dragon Ball, which features the loathsome villain Dodoria, whose name
   and appearance have been derived from the durian fruit. Dodoria, a
   large pink alien with short spikes on his head and forearms, was given
   an unattractive role which required slaughtering numerous characters
   and was eventually killed himself. The TV series Fear Factor featured
   the durian during a challenge in which participants were required to
   face the "Blender of Fear": a concoction of ground-up pig brains,
   rooster testes and cow eyes, and durian juice as the side beverage.

   In its native southeastern Asia, however, the durian is an everyday
   food and portrayed in the local media in accordance with the different
   cultural perception it has in the region. The durian symbolised the
   subjective nature of ugliness and beauty in Hong Kong director Fruit
   Chan's 2000 film Durian Durian (榴槤飄飄, Liulian piao piao), and was a
   nick name for the reckless but lovable protagonist of the eponymous
   Singaporean TV comedy Durian King played by Adrian Pang. Likewise, the
   oddly shaped Esplanade building in Singapore is often called "The
   Durian" by locals. In Malaysia, there is a slice-of-life comic strip by
   C.W. Kee which has Sunday colour editions called It's A Durian Life.

   Being a fruit much loved by a variety of wild beasts, the durian
   sometimes signifies the long-forgotten animalistic aspect of humans, as
   in the legend of Orang Mawas, the Malaysian version of Bigfoot, and
   Orang Pendek, its Sumatran version, both of which have been claimed to
   feast on durians.

   In accordance with its reputation as an aphrodisiac, the durian's
   flavour has been used in condoms. In Thailand, durian-flavoured condoms
   used to be sold at 7-Eleven nationwide. Indonesia began selling
   durian-flavoured condoms in 2003. According to the director of DKT
   Indonesia, the country's leading condom distributor, 150,000 of the
   durian-flavoured condoms were sold in their first week on the market.
   Retrieved from " http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Durian"
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