The fruits of the tropical durian tree (Durio zibethinus Murr.), native to the island of Borneo, are highly appreciated particularly in Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, and Indonesia for their delicate, sweet, and creamy flesh. Their peculiarity however is the distinctive and extremely intense odor of the fruit flesh, best being described as sulfury, roasted onion-like, with some sweet, fruity and seasoning-like aroma notes. In order to elucidate the compounds responsible for this unique fruit odor, aroma extract dilution analysis was applied to an extract obtained from ripe durian flesh by solvent extraction and SAFE. Based on high FD factors, some fruity and honey-like smelling ethyl esters, several sweet and seasoning-like smelling furanones, and particularly a series of sulfury, onion-like smelling 1,1-dithio compounds were identified as the most potent odorants in durian fruits. The structures of the sulfur compounds suggested acetaldehyde or propanal and hydrogen sulfide, methanethiol, and/or ethanethiol as basic precursors.

Molecular insights into a unique fruit flavor: Durian (Durio zibethinus)

244th National Meeting (2012)

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