This is the smelliest fruit in the world and costs a fortune

The sense of smell plays a significant role in our perception of fruits, as they are known for their distinct and enticing aromas. It not only adds to their overall appeal but also serves important purposes. The smell of fruits is an indicator of their ripeness, freshness, and flavour profile. The smell of a ripe fruit can evoke a sense of anticipation and desire, signalling to our senses that it is ready to be enjoyed. The smell also makes people feel like consuming those delicious fruits. But, do you know, there exists a fruit which has the worst smell in the world, but it tastes much better and offers a lot if health benefits. Want to know about it? Read more. (Images courtesy: iStock)

The stinkiest fruit in the world is called ‘Durian’. It looks just like jackfruit and is found commonly in South East Asia. The inner part of this fruit is yellow and has thorns on the skin, which if accidentally pricked by the eater, can injure the person. The smell of this fruit is like dirty socks, so many people do not like to eat this fruit.

According to research, this fruit contains 44 different chemical compounds that produce aroma and 3 of these compounds have been found for the first time in a natural substance. According to scientists, this smell of this fruit is not due to any one compound, but due to the combination of all these compounds together. This fruit has a mixed smell of honey, sulphur, caramel, soup, rotten eggs, rotten cabbage, roasted onions and rotten fruit, which is why it stinks.

Durian's smell is so strong and bad that it is often kept separately in glass boxes in fruit shops. This fruit is known for its distinct taste and nutritional value. This fruit is said to be rich in vitamins B6, C and A along with folic acid; and this is why durian is used to make several medicines.

This exotic fruit is only available in the niche markets of India, while a good quality durian is sold for INR 4500-8500 per kg. However, the costiest durian ever sold was for $48,000, which amounts to INR 39,65,616, in the year 2019. As per news reports, no two durians taste the same and each one of them have a different taste. And it is one of the several reasons why it costs dearly. Also, among the other reasons why it costs so much is the fact that durian requires exquisite care. It must be bred with tap water, which bears the major reason for this costing.