Catering to the Chinese market, Malaysian Musang King durian turns from bitter to sweet

The Malaysian famous Musang King durian is widely popular in the Chinese market. Some durian growers have used genetic modification and other methods to make the originally sweet and bitter Musang King "go from bitterness to sweetness" in order to cater to the Chinese market.

The Chinese durian market is booming, attracting major durian-growing countries. According to Malaysian media "The Star", in order to cater to the tastes of Chinese consumers, Malaysian growers are working hard to modify the "Musang King" gene, increase the sweetness of durian, and reduce its iconic bitterness, which has caused concerns among many industry insiders.

Zulhazmi Sayuti from the Malaysian Agricultural Research and Development Horticulture Research Center said that it is scientifically feasible to change the durian gene to reduce its bitterness, but the operation is very complicated. It is understood that glycosides (such as saponins) are the main cause of the bitterness of durian. By changing and controlling these compounds, the purpose of changing the taste of durian can be achieved.

Experts also emphasized that Malaysia has a strict management policy on genetically modified crops. Any genetic modification must be strictly tested and food safety must be ensured first.

The mother tree of Musang King durian grew on an island called Pula Raya on the Kelantan River. In the 1970s, the mother tree was transplanted and planted in large quantities in Raub, Bentong, Jiliu, Sungai Lang and other places in Pahang. The registration number of the Ministry of Agriculture is D197. So "Musang King Durian" is also called "D197". The real reason why it became famous was because of Macau gambling king Stanly Ho (Ho Hongshen). He once sent someone to fly a private plane from Singapore to transport 100 "Musang King" durians back to HK, inviting Li Ka-shing and other business tycoons to eat durian. It was widely reported by the media in Hong Kong, Macau, Singapore and Malaysia at that time. Overnight, Musang King became famous and its popularity overshadowed all other durian varieties.