Durian has a unique pungent smell like a mixture of sulfur and onion.

The important component that forms the smell of durian is volatile sulfur compounds, which are often described as rancid, onion, rotten egg, sulfur, etc.

Researchers identified a group of genes related to volatile sulfur compounds that are highly active when durian is ripe, giving the fruit its strong smell.

Some gourmets described durian as "exuding a mixed smell of turpentine and onions, as well as the smell of gym socks, which can be smelled a few meters away."

Another foodie, Anthony Bourdain, even described durian as "after eating it, your breath will feel like you just kissed a corpse."

Even with the shell intact, the subtropical fruit remains so infamous that durians are banned from the subway in Singapore.

Extension information The strong smell of lotus does not come from just one compound, but a mixture of multiple compounds.

Each compound has its own "identity" - molecular formula.

For those who have not studied organic chemistry, these molecular formulas—such as 1-{[1-(ethylthio)ethyl]thio}ethanethiol—may be completely incomprehensible.

But the research team carefully identified the smell of each compound here.

Their smells can vary widely, ranging from fruity, skunky, metallic, rubbery, burnt, roasted onions, garlic, cheese, onions and honey, to name a few.

Interestingly, no compound alone smells like durian.

So that's 50 compounds mixed together to give off a very strong smell that makes some people flock to it and makes other people avoid it.