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  • Essay / A Report on Durian, Its Types and Benefits

    Table of ContentsIntroductionWhat is DurianTypes of DurianMusang KingD24 DuriansGolden PhoenixRed Shrimp DuriansBenefits of DurianConclusionReferences:Introduction Durian is the indigenous fruit of Southeast Asia Is and known as the “king of fruits”. The durian has a large, distinct size, a unique, strong odor, and a hard husk covered in thorns. Different people have different ideas about durian, some may think durian has a pleasantly sweet scent, but some people think it has an unpleasant smell similar to garlic or rotten fish and that makes them disgusting. This is also one of the reasons why public occasions carry the sign that durian is a prohibited item. There are also many durian products which are very popular in our daily life, such as durian ice cream, durian chocolate, durian puffs and many more. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essay Everyone knows about durian, given its popularity as a local fruit and the king of fruits. However, not many people know the history of durian as well as how and why durian got its foul smell. What is Durian Durian is a fruit infamous for its strong odor, the stench evokes a varied reaction ranging from affection to intense revolt, with descriptions of rotten onions and raw sewage. The pungent, lingering smell of durian, which usually lingers for days, has led to regulations banning the fruit from several hotels and public transportation in Southeast Asia. To highlight the strong smell of durian, there have been cases in Australia where durian was accidentally left in a public place, emitting odors similar to gas, leading people to believe there were gas leaks , causing an emergency evacuation. The reason behind durian's notorious odor can be understood by its expansionary pathways that produce volatile sulfur compounds. Volatile sulfur compounds affect many foods because they are the main contributors to characteristic flavors and aromas. In addition to the expansion pathways that produce volatile sulfur compounds (VSCs), the production of one of these CSV-expressing genes has also been found to be approximately 2,000 times higher than that of other plants. Furthermore, a group of scientists also tried to understand how the stench is produced by breaking down the aromatic extract of durian. They discovered 50 compounds responsible for its aroma, four of which are completely unknown to science. Analysis shows that the foul stench is not produced by a single compound but by a mixture of different chemicals. The compounds range widely, from labels like fruity, skunky, or metallic. It's even disconcerting when none of the compounds individually match the characteristics of durian's notorious odor. According to research published by Nature Genetics, durian is closely related to cocoa which produces the tasty chocolate, which is surprising considering the foul odor produced in comparison. Additionally, most of the durian genes also relate to the cotton plant, and it is noteworthy that these three plants belong to the Malvales plant family. Although durian is closely related to cocoa, the moment they are separated, durian has strived to create its own characteristic. Durian has duplicated the same genes it shares with cocoa to evolve and develop it into different traits. To understand better, it's as if the durian cloned itself, one to make its ownduty, and others were free to do other things, but in the case of durian, it focuses on emitting a foul odor. Durian's multiple additional duplicated genes focus on creating sulfuric compounds that gave durian its distinctive smells. Types of Durian Musang KingMusang King (Mao Shan Wang or Cat Mountain King) is considered the most delicious durian in the world due to its creamy texture and strong sweet and sour taste. It is rich in taste, buttery, smooth and bright yellow flesh. That’s why it has another name called Butter Durian. Musang King is often priced high in the market as there is a high demand among the majority as it is well known and customers do not want to feel left out by eating other varieties of durian. To tell if it is a Musang King or not, it has a distinctive star shape at the bottom of the fruit and the tips are quite far apart. D24 Durians D24 durians were the most famous breed before the introduction of the Musang King. It is also known as Sultan Durian. D24 durians come from Johor, Pahang and Cameron Highlands. The flesh is yellowish in color and tastes creamy with a sweet and sour taste. It gives you a bitter flavor at first, but then it leaves a strong sweet taste in your mouth. It is relatively cheaper. For its appearance, the tip of D24 durians is compared to that of Musang King. Golden Phoenix The Golden Phoenix, also called Jin Feng, may not be very popular in Kuala Lumpur and Penang, but it is very famous in Johor and Singapore. Its tip resembles a phoenix. The Golden Phoenix has a pale yellow-white color with a watery texture and the flesh is bittersweet. It has a strong pungent odor. Golden Phoenix is ​​a limited stock because it is a pure type durian, it comes from old trees and not a new type creation. It is more popular in Singapore as it is difficult to grow and is only available in Johor. Golden Phoenix has a thin spiky shell that we can open easily with our bare hands. Red Shrimp Durians Red Shrimp Durians are the sweetest durians in town. We usually get these durians from Pahang or Johor. The name Red Prawn (Hong Xia or Ang Hay) comes from its orange-red, sticky and sweet color. Red shrimp durian has smaller seeds, which means more flesh to eat. The shell color is dark brown instead of green. Benefits of Durian According to the USDA National Nutrient Database, durian has an impressive vitamin and mineral content. Ardent fans of durian's health benefits are outweighed by those who are repelled by the sight and smell of this powerful fruit. Minerals that play a major role in developing and supporting bone strength and durability, such as potassium, iron, calcium, magnesium, and sodium, are also found in durian. The amount of potassium present in durian covers about 9% of our body's daily needs. Other minerals also play a role in preventing the development of osteoporosis. Durian contains high levels of dietary fiber, which plays an important role in the functioning of the digestive system. The function of fiber helps facilitate bowel movements and stimulates peristaltic movement and the secretion of digestive and gastric juice. So, it can reduce constipation. Durian fruit contains an abundant amount of vitamin C, a powerful antioxidant that actively reduces the number of free radicals in the body and helps maintain oxidative stress caused by free radicals. The lower the levels of oxidative stress, the more the appearance of symptoms such as wrinkles, pigment spots,/