How long does durian last? If you can stand the smell

It has a hard spiny rind. It grows in abundance in Asian countries. Its smell has been described as rotting flesh, raw sewage, and even old gym socks. You either love it or hate it. It has to be durian fruit. Durian has made its way to the shores of the US, delighting the Asian communities, but many Americans are getting on board with the flavor of this rich nutrient-dense fruit. But does the mushy flesh last long?

Did you know that Durian is known as the king of fruits? It has many health benefits, from lowering blood pressure and reducing triglycerides. Durian can make you feel relaxed and lonely depending on the company you are in when you eat it.

This article will explore the king of fruits, aka the durian, and let you know if it can be stored successfully at any time. We answer frequently asked questions about durian fruit, bringing you the answers needed to keep this aromatic fruit in the neighborhood.

Take a deep breath, and let’s get into it.

Does durian expire?

Durian fruit does expire, but most westerners would maybe ask how you would ever be able to tell if the fruit has expired with its overwhelming fragrance that is akin to raw sewage.

Once you crack open a ripe durian, a new experience will take you on a journey that is either a nightmare or a pleasant dream fulfilling your expectations of the king of fruits.

Almost custard texture has to be described as delicate. It is mushy. It would seem inevitable that the fruit of the durian would only last a short time before spoiling.

If you can put the smell of durian to one side for a minute or two and remove the large seed-covered pods from the husk, the durian starts to look more appetizing with its creamy texture.

However, its shelf life is short at room temperature, and it is advisable to consume the durian without delay because it will expire pretty quickly within two days of opening the husk.

If you live alone, you may store the durian in a fridge. Good luck. The smell of the fruit will permeate every nook and cranny of the fridge, and regardless of your cleaning regime, the odor from durian will linger in the fridge for what seems like months.

To get the most out of the shelf life of durian, you will need a robust airtight container to seal the durian before placing it in the fridge, but it has little effect on containing the odor.

It’s suggested to place a bag of charcoal in the home or the fridge to absorb the odors from durian fruit and minimize the effect on the non-durian eaters in the home.

Does durian need to be refrigerated?

No. It is advisable that you buy the quantity of durian you can consume in one sitting, but sometimes it seems more economical to buy a whole fruit that is too much for one person to eat. In this case, it is advisable to store the durian in an airtight container and place it in the fridge.

Refrigerating durian will extend the shelf life by hours. The flavor profile is more palatable. It is more pleasant to eat, which is a bonus if you are new to the fruits.

Does durian have to be covered? Does it make a difference?

Durian doesn’t have to be covered, but it will subdue the odor slightly if you are eating durian indoors. Durian contains a lot of sugars and attracts insects, so covering it will protect the fruit.

Covering durian before it’s placed in the fridge is essential. The pungent odor will permeate every other product stored in the fridge, so mitigate the loss of the fridge content by covering durian in a suitable airtight container.

If the odor is an issue, take a belt and braces approach to store and cover durian in the fridge. Use a couple of Ziploc bags and then store them in an airtight container with a snap-shut sealable lid.

How long can durians sit out?

2 hours. If you have durian sitting out on the side covered with Glad wrap, it still has a short shelf life, and while it may prevent your home from being burgled, the fruit will still grow bacteria.

The average room temperature is around 70℉, placing all perishable foods in the food danger zone. The food danger zone is a temperature range you should avoid, its starts at 40 and ends at 140℉.

Your room is in the mid-range, where bacteria growth will accelerate. To the point that after two hours, the food will be deemed unsafe to consume. According to the USDA, perishable foods sitting out for two hours or more should be discarded.

Does an unopened durian husk go bad?

Yes. But how long it takes is not an exact calculation. Durian husks don’t like to be continually dry. They will crack in low humidity situations, exposing the fruit to bacteria load and making it bad within a couple of hours.

However, it does depend on the type of durian you have. As you know, there are more than one species of durian, some will crack within 2 days of falling from the tree, and it takes a month for the fruit to crack and reveal the fruit.

Durian vendors will inject the durian husk to prevent it from opening. They have durian stacked high and need to rest the durian in good shape so that it can be sold.

How long does Durian last in the fridge?

2 to 5 days. It really depends on how ripe the durian is. Many durians are sold by vendors who are unscrupulous, and pushing the sales of ripe durians will trick you in many ways. One trick is to get an unripe durian and wash it with water and a ripe durian fruit mixture, making the unexpecting purchaser think the durian is ripe.

You have leftovers and want to keep them for as long as possible. Even seasoned durian eaters can be fooled. So let’s assume the durian is perfectly ripe.

You will want to keep the odor of the fruit to a minimum, so use a couple of Ziploc bags, place the durian in the first bag and then the first bag in the second bag, and remove as much air from both bags as possible.

It may seem like a considerable effort, but it will prevent the food in the fridge from being contaminated with the odor of the durian.

Then place the Ziploc bags in an airtight container. This way, the odors are more likely to be contained, and the fruit lasts up to 5 days.

Does frozen durian go bad?

In theory, frozen foods have an indefinite shelf life if stirred at 0℉ and below in the freezer, but durian is delicate and contains water, so it cant be frozen forever.

If stored correctly, durian will last for 3 months in the freezer and will be as good as the day you placed it in the freezer.

Like the refrigeration process, place the durian in a couple of Ziploc bags and make sure as much air as possible is expelled from the bags. Place the durian, so they are not squashed against each other. This will make it easier to divide the durian and eat with your fingers.

It’s best to place the bag in an airtight container and lay the durian flat before freezing.

If you go beyond the 3 months in the freezer, the durian will start to degrade, the color will change, the flavors will diminish, and the texture will become watery.

Do durians smell when frozen?

Yes, some durians smell sweet and delicious, while others can give off an odor of rotting cabbage that can be disconcerting, but the durian is ok to eat when thawed.

How long does it take to defrost durian?

Place the unopened Ziploc bags in the fridge and let the durian thaw at its own pace. You can’t rush the thawing of frozen durian. It will become mushy. On average, it will take 6 hours for each fruit pod to defrost before it can be eaten.

How do you pick a ripe durian?

When it comes to durian, there are a few telltale signs that it has either entirely rotted or gone bad. To save money and preserve your taste buds, you have to be able to recognize these issues and steer clear of that fruit.

Picking a durian with any of the following traits is not recommended:

• It is past its prime if the stem is wrinkled, black, and dry.
• It is affected by fungus if its spikes are browned and the fruit has spots all over it.
• It is overripe if it has already split.
• Caterpillars and other bugs will attack it if its shell has holes.
• Trust your nose and avoid that fruit if you notice someone rejecting it.
• Select a sweet-smelling durian if the flesh is extraordinarily mushy and liquid-like and smells foul.

Final thoughts

Love them or hate them, the durian fruit is packed with nutrients and energy that can be delivered quickly to give you a boost.

The shelf life of durian is short, a couple of hours out of the fridge and up to 5 days in the fridge. The good news is that durian can be frozen successfully and last for three months if stored correctly in the freezer.