Thai Scientist Successfully Cultivates Odourless Durians

(BANGKOK)--Thai scientist, Professor Songpol Somsri, has successfully cultivated an odourless durian.

Chantaburi 1 is the world's first cultivated durian that is guaranteed not to exude that unmistakable smell.

The durian is either the king of fruits and a delicacy to some or a smelly inconvenience to others.

With the advent of an odourless durian, people who were previously completely turned off by the fruit may be able to enjoy it now.

At the same time, durian lovers may turn their noses up at the mere idea of the fruit without its famous fragrance.

Professor Songpol said by cultivating Chantaburi 1, he is safeguarding the durian's future by making it more palatable to younger generations and more exportable for the wider global market.

He said: "We have the market in China, Taiwan, Singapore, Indonesia and Malaysia, but foreigners like the Americans, Europeans, Japanese and Koreans don't like the strong smell."

Creators of Chantaburi 1 are hoping to get a slice of that market in the next five years and one million seedlings of the fruit will be planted.

But second generation durian farmer Sawai Tasaneeyawet, who makes almost US$60 for each of her special Nonthaburi durians, does not think the idea will catch on.

She said: "The essence of a durian is its unique smell. If there is no smell, the durian is essentially characterless and no smell could also mean that it isn't ripe."

Another durian seller, who has been doing brisk business for ten years at a market 100 kilometres outside of Bangkok, doubts that odourless durian could taste as good.

Manid Yodpinit said: "I think if a durian has no smell it won't be as tasty as the original, especially when you eat it raw."

One of them said: "I have never heard of an odourless durian, but I don't think it will be a success since the smell of a durian is its identity. You can tell the quality of the fruit by its smell."

"I would try an odourless durian to see if it's good or not. Its taste and species are most important," one of the passers-by said.

For those who cannot live without the fruit's pungent aroma, Professor Songpol has created Chantaburi 3, which will only begin to smell three days after it is picked to make it easier to transport the fruit to new export markets.

And the innovation does not stop with smell as efforts to produce a durian that is odourless and thornless could one day bear fruit.

After many trips to Asia, I had to try a Durian.

Many businessmen would sneak out of their hotel on a secret mission to consort with a loose woman - or two... I snuck out surreptitiously, to find, buy and eat a Durian.

You are not allowed to bring a Durian into a 5-star hotel in most Asian countries and I think I tried my Durian when I was in Thailand. So first, you have to have a beer, or two... then I went out to find a Durian seller. I didn’t have to go far, as I saw some guys selling them right on the street. I tried to just buy a 1/4 of a Durian, as the things are huge... bigger than your head... but my English was not understood and I ended up buying the whole Durian, which the sellers promptly chopped up and bagged for me.

It stunk like hell.

Now, I had my Durian in a bag, and had to get it back to my hotel so I could eat it. The next thing I had to do was flag down a cab. No problem. Then I got into the cab... within about 2 seconds the whole taxicab stunk like Durian. I saw the driver cringe, but he said nothing.

He silently drove me to my hotel.
Now, I had to get into my hotel room without them catching me... so I stood outside in the dark and waited until the entire hotel staff was busy... then quickly sauntered in to an unused elevator.

The stink probably followed me all the way to my room and took days to go away....

I took my bagged durian right into the bathroom and immediatly shut the door and turned on the fan.

I had dishes and flatware, so tried my first Durian in the bathroom of a five-star hotel. It was actually quite tasty, although I had to hold my nose to take the first bite. I thought of the grade-school experiment of holding your nose when you bite into both an apple and onion...

The fruit was delicious, but there was way too much of it for one person to eat, so I had my fill and then had to smuggle the rest right outside of my hotel or it would have stunk up my entire floor.

I bagged the rest and went outside and gave it to some beggars. They seemed pleased.

Anyway, Durian is not bad tasting, but the smell is unbelievably bad.

When you are in Singapore, they even have signs with a picture of a Durian and the familiar red circle with a line through it over the Durian... much like the anti-smoking signs that are so familiar.

Thanks for the ping, Jem. I do love durians, especially Thai durians. I guess I got over the smell well enough, although I would never describe it as a pleasant smell.

I’ve seen durians in Asian stores here in America and they had no strong smell so I was suspect.

I remember an American couple who tried durian for the first time. He said it tasted like a combination of fried onions, something else, and kerosene. His wife disagreed and said, “No, it just takes like kerosene!”

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