Twelve postal workers, 60 employees, and six more people were affected by a mysterious pungent package that arrived at the post office in the Bavarian town of Schweinfurt on Saturday.
As it turns out, the shipment contained four durian fruits from Thailand. A 50-year-old resident of the town had sent the package home from a friend in Nuremberg. The package caused so much panic that police officers, firefighters, and emergency services were called to the post office.
Officials initially suspected that whatever was inside posed a tremendous risk, said the Schweinfurt police department. Before the package was examined, about 60 employees evacuated the building to ensure their safety.
According to the Schweinfurt police, 12 postal workers complained of nausea and were given medical attention at the site, with six more taken to the hospital as a precaution. The commotion had caused the involvement of six ambulances, two emergency vehicles, five first-responder cars, and three different fire departments.
Despite causing the commotion, the package containing the fruit was eventually delivered to its designated recipient.
Why Does Durian Smell So Stinky?
The pulp of a ripe durian diffuses an unusually compelling and very persistent smell that could give you the hint of rotten onions. It might smell as awful as it sounds, but the fruit's pulp is actually nutritious.
Because of its stench, the fruit has been banned on local public transportation in Singapore and at numerous hotels in Thailand. Even so, different varieties of durian are still sought after and valued in many Asian countries.
A study from 2019 revealed that the fruit's stench is caused by the odorant ethanethiol and its derivatives. The biochemical pathway by which the plant produces ethanethiol remained unclear. However, the researchers have determined that ethionine is indeed the precursor of the vicious-smelling substance.
According to Nadine Fischer, the lead author of the study, their findings suggest that as durian ripens, a plant-specific enzyme gives off the odorant from ethionine. She adds that they also observed that when the fruit ripens, not only the ethionine concentration in the pulp rises, but also ethanethiol at the same time.
What Does Durian Taste Like?
"Hell on the outside, yet heaven on the inside" is how the Smithsonian Magazine describes the delectable fruit. Durian is an interesting combination of a sweet, savory, and creamy explosion in your mouth.
Some say it has a slight taste of chives mixed with powdered sugar. It somewhat also tastes like diced garlic and caramel infused into whipped cream. It's different, but in a good way, many would say.
The durian fruit grows on trees in tropical climates spread all throughout Southeast Asia. These prickly fruits have a limited season and a very short shelf life. Durian trees sometimes grow up to 130 feet tall and are usually pollinated by bats.
After three to four months, the fruit would have gained several pounds, descended, and already fumes with its putrid smell. Durians are expensive and are a valued fruit in Asian countries.
Locals sometimes use it in folk medicine, and its flesh is believed to be an aphrodisiac. So next time you come across the fruit, go ahead and try it. You might be surprised. Although tough and revolting from the outside, you might actually get to enjoy that sweet, creamy, exotic, taste of durian.
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