Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Institute of Applied Technology and Sustainable Development, Nguyen Tat Thanh University, Ho Chi Minh City, 700000 Vietnam

2 High Technology Development Center, Nguyen Tat Thanh University, High-Tech Park Ho Chi Minh City, 700000, Vietnam

3 Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Food Technology, Nong Lam University. Ho Chi Minh City 70000, Vietnam

4 Faculty of Pharmacy, Nguyen Tat Thanh University, Ho Chi Minh City 700000, Vietnam

Abstract

Purpose: This study evaluated how ripening stages and anatomical parts affect the nutritional composition, physicochemical attributes, and antioxidant potential of Ri6 Durian (Durio zibethinus Murr.). The goal was to determine the optimal harvest stage and explore full fruit utilization to reduce postharvest losses. Research method: Peel, flesh, and seed samples were collected at 15 weeks (mature fruit, MF) and 17 weeks (ripe fruit, RF) after flowering. Ethanol extracts were analyzed for proximate composition, pH, titratable acidity, total soluble solids, total polyphenol content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC), and antioxidant activity using DPPH and ABTS assays. Findings: Ripening increased moisture (36.7-80.8%) and sugars (16.7-55.5 mg/g DW), while reducing acidity. The peel consistently exhibited the highest bioactive levels, with TPC reaching 2.91 mg GAE/g and TFC 0.21 mg QE/g at MF. Antioxidant activity was stronger in the peel, with DPPH values up to 0.67 mg AAE/g DW, exceeding ABTS activity (0.50 mg AAE/g DW). Research limitations: The study was limited to one Durian cultivar (Ri6) and two ripening stages, which may restrict generalizability to other cultivars or maturity levels. Originality/Value: This research highlights the underutilized value of Durian peel and seed for functional food or nutraceutical development, and provides practical guidance for ripening-based harvest decisions to support sustainable postharvest strategies. The findings contribute innovative insights into full-fruit utilization and promote value addition for tropical fruits, offering practical applications for both industry and farmers.

Graphical Abstract

Nutritional and antioxidant profile variations in fresh durian (Durio zibethinus Murr.) across two ripening stages in Ben Tre province, Vietnam

Keywords

Main Subjects

A Aziz, N. A., & Mhd Jalil, A. M. (2019). Bioactive compounds, nutritional value, and potential health benefits of indigenous durian (Durio zibethinus Murr.): A review. Foods, 8(3), 96. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods8030096
Ali, M. M., Hashim, N., & Shahamshah, M. I. (2021). Durian (Durio zibethinus) ripeness detection using thermal imaging with multivariate analysis. Postharvest Biology and Technology, 176, 111517. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.postharvbio.2021.111517
Antonets, K. S., Belousov, M. V., Sulatskaya, A. I., Belousova, M. E., Kosolapova, A. O., Sulatsky, M. I., Andreeva, E. A., Zykin, P. A., Malovichko, Y. V., Shtark, O. Y., Lykholay, A. N., Volkov, K. V., Kuznetsova, I. M., Turoverov, K. K., Kochetkova, E. Y., Bobylev, A. G., Usachev, K. S., Demidov, O. N., Tikhonovich, I. A., & Nizhnikov, A. A. (2020). Accumulation of storage proteins in plant seeds is mediated by amyloid formation. PLOS Biology, 18(7), e3000564. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pbio.3000564
Arancibia-Avila, P., Toledo, F., Park, Y.-S., Jung, S. T., Kang, S. G., Heo, B. G., Lee, S. H., Sajewicz, M., Kowalska, T., & Gorinstein, S. (2008). Antioxidant properties of durian fruit as influenced by ripening. LWT-Food Science and Technology, 41(10), 2118–2125. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lwt.2007.12.001
Bremner, J. M., & Keeney, D. R. (1965). Steam distillation methods for determination of ammonium, nitrate and nitrite. Analytica Chimica Acta, 32, 485–495. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0003-2670(00)88973-4
Devalaraja, S., Jain, S., & Yadav, H. (2011). Exotic fruits as therapeutic complements for diabetes, obesity and metabolic syndrome. Food Research International, 44(7), 1856–1865. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodres.2011.04.008
Duong, N. H., Ngan, H. T. T., Linh, B. K., Thang, L. C., Thuc, L. V., & Van Hau, T. (2025). Investigation of biological characteristics of fruit development and physiological disorders of Musang King durian (Durio zibethinus Murr.). Open Agriculture, 10(1), 20250422. https://doi.org/10.1515/opag-2025-0422
Fabi, J. P., Peroni, F. H. G., & Gomez, M. (2010). Papaya, mango and guava fruit metabolism during ripening: Postharvest changes affecting tropical fruit nutritional content and quality. Fresh Produce, 4(1), 56–64.
Gamay, R. A. J., Botecario, P. M. N., Sanchez, P. D. C., & Alvarado, M. C. (2024). Durian (Durio zibethinus) waste: A promising resource for food and diverse applications a comprehensive review. Food Production, Processing and Nutrition, 6(1), 27. https://doi.org/10.1186/s43014-023-00206-4
Ghimire, S., Poudel Chhetri, B., & Shrestha, J. (2023). Efficacy of different organic and inorganic nutrient sources on the growth and yield of bitter gourd (Momordica charantia L.). Heliyon, 9(11), e22135. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e22135
Gorinstein, S., Poovarodom, S., Leontowicz, H., Leontowicz, M., Namiesnik, J., Vearasilp, S., Haruenkit, R., Ruamsuke, P., Katrich, E., & Tashma, Z. (2011). Antioxidant properties and bioactive constituents of some rare exotic Thai fruits and comparison with conventional fruits: In vitro and in vivo studies. Food Research International, 44(7), 2222–2232. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodres.2010.10.009
Goswami, C., Hossain, M. A., Kader, H. A., & Islam, R. (2011). Assessment of physicochemical properties of jackfruits’(Artocarpus heterophyllus Lam) pulps. Journal of Horticulture, Forestry and Biotechnology, 15(3), 26–31.
Haruenkit, R., Poovarodom, S., Vearasilp, S., Namiesnik, J., Sliwka-Kaszynska, M., Park, Y. S., Heo, B. G., Cho, J. Y., Jang, H. G., & Gorinstein, S. (2010). Comparison of bioactive compounds, antioxidant and antiproliferative activities of Mon Thong durian during ripening. Food Chemistry, 118(3), 540–547. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodchem.2009.05.029
Hema, J., Ahiduzzaman, M., & Hossain, M. M. (2016). Development of Nutritious Dried Powder From Jackfruit Bulb and Seed. International Journal of Business, Social and Scientific Research, 4(3), 189-195.
Hoang, Q. B., Le, H. P., Ha, H. Q., Truong, B. H., Nguyen, T. V., Duong, D. N. T., Nguyen, P. T. N., & Van, C. K. (2024). Quality changes of durian pulp ( Durio zibehinus Murr.) in cold storage. Open Chemistry, 22(1), 20240091. https://doi.org/10.1515/chem-2024-0091
Husin, N. A., Rahman, S., Karunakaran, R., & Bhore, S. J. (2018). A review on the nutritional, medicinal, molecular and genome attributes of Durian (Durio zibethinus L.), the king of fruits in Malaysia. Bioinformation, 14(6), 265. doi: 10.6026/97320630014265
Hwang, H., Kim, Y. J., & Shin, Y. (2019). Influence of ripening stage and cultivar on physicochemical properties, sugar and organic acid profiles, and antioxidant compositions of strawberries. Food Science and Biotechnology, 28(6), 1659–1667. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10068-019-00610-y
Ketsa, S. (2018). Durian-Durio zibethinus. In Exotic Fruits (pp. 169–180). Elsevier. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-803138-4.00022-8
Khaksar, G., Kasemcholathan, S., & Sirikantaramas, S. (2024). Durian (Durio zibethinus L.): nutritional composition, pharmacological implications, value-added products, and omics-based investigations. Horticulturae, 10(4), 342. https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae10040342
Kunarto, B., & Sani, E. Y. (2018). Antioxidant activity of extract from ultrasonic-assisted extraction of durian peels. Journal of Applied Food Technology, 5(2), 25–29. https://doi.org/10.17728/jaft.3309
Le, T. D., Viet Nguyen, T., Muoi, N. V., Toan, H. T., Lan, N. M., & Pham, T. N. (2022). Supply chain management of Mango (Mangifera indica L.) fruit: A review with a focus on product quality during postharvest. Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems, 5, 799431. https://doi.org/10.3389/fsufs.2021.799431
Leontowicz, H., Leontowicz, M., Jesion, I., Bielecki, W., Poovarodom, S., Vearasilp, S., González-Aguilar, G., Robles-Sánchez, M., Trakhtenberg, S., & Gorinstein, S. (2011). Positive effects of durian fruit at different stages of ripening on the hearts and livers of rats fed diets high in cholesterol. European Journal of Integrative Medicine, 3(3), e169–e181. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eujim.2011.08.005
Lu, W., Shi, Y., Wang, R., Su, D., Tang, M., Liu, Y., & Li, Z. (2021). Antioxidant activity and healthy benefits of natural pigments in fruits: A review. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 22(9), 4945. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms22094945
Luo, Y., Lin, Y., Mo, F., Ge, C., Jiang, L., Zhang, Y., Chen, Q., Sun, B., Wang, Y., Wang, X., & Tang, H. (2019). Sucrose promotes strawberry fruit ripening and affects ripening-related processes. International Journal of Genomics, 2019, 1–14. https://doi.org/10.1155/2019/9203057
Mohd Ali, M., Hashim, N., Aziz, S. A., & Lasekan, O. (2020). Exploring the chemical composition, emerging applications, potential uses, and health benefits of durian: A review. Food Control, 113, 107189. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodcont.2020.107189
Nguyen, T. V., Tram, N. N. H., Quynh, P. T. Y., & Pham, D. T. N. (2025). Assessment of Physicochemical, Sensory, and Biological Activities of Yogurt Containing Freeze‐Dried Durian Powder ( Durio zibethinus Murr.). Journal of Food Processing and Preservation, 2025(1), 2690650. https://doi.org/10.1155/jfpp/2690650
Nielsen, S. S., & Carpenter, C. (2017). Fat Content Determination. In S. S. Nielsen, Food Analysis Laboratory Manual (pp. 121–129). Springer International Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-44127-6_12
Nordin, N., Shamsudin, R., Azlan, A., & Effendy, M. (2017). Dry matter, moisture, ash and crude fibre content in distinct segments of ‘Durian Kampung’husk. International Journal of Chemical Engineering, 11, 788–792.
Paśko, P., Tyszka-Czochara, M., Trojan, S., Bobis-Wozowicz, S., Zagrodzki, P., Namieśnik, J., Haruenkit, R., Poovarodom, S., Pinsirodom, P., & Gorinstein, S. (2019). Glycolytic genes expression, proapoptotic potential in relation to the total content of bioactive compounds in durian fruits. Food Research International, 125, 108563. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodres.2019.108563
Pham, D. T. T., Thai, H. N. D., Bui, T. M., Nguyen, T. L. H., & Nguyen, K. X. (2022). Current status of paclobutrazol application and its residue in durian (Durio zibethinus Murr.) orchard soil in Tien Giang and Ben Tre provinces. The Journal of Agriculture and Development, 21(2), 1-8. https://doi.org/10.52997/jad.1.02.2022
Rahmawati, S., Aulia, A., Hasfah, N., Nuryanti, S., Abram, P. H., & Ningsih, P. (2021). The utilization of durian seeds (Durio zibethinus Murr) as a base for making edible film. International Journal of Design & Nature and Ecodynamics, 16(1), 77–84. https://doi.org/10.18280/ijdne.160110
Samakradhamrongthai, R. S. (2024). The overview. In Aroma and flavor in product development: Characterization, perception, and application (pp. 1-45). Cham: Springer Nature Switzerland. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-62612-8_1
Seymour, G. B., Poole, M., Giovannoni, J. J., & Tucker, G. A. (Eds.). (2013). The Molecular Biology and Biochemistry of Fruit Ripening (1st ed.). Wiley. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781118593714
Shamla, L., Heeba, S., Jose, N., & Nisha, P. (2019). Change in chemical composition during maturation of Artocarpus heterophyllus and its effect on acrylamide formation in deep‐fried jackfruit chips. Journal of Food Processing and Preservation, 43(9), e14099. https://doi.org/10.1111/jfpp.14099
Silva, K. M. da, Zielinski, A. A. F., Benvenutti, L., Bortolini, D. G., Zardo, D. M., Beltrame, F. L., Nogueira, A., & Alberti, A. (2018). Effect of fruit ripening on bioactive compounds and antioxidant capacity of apple beverages. Food Science and Technology, 39(02), 294–300. https://doi.org/10.1590/fst.25317
Siriphanich, J. (2011). Durian (Durio zibethinus Merr.). In Postharvest biology and technology of tropical and subtropical fruits (pp. 80-116e). Woodhead Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1533/9780857092885.80
Tan, X. Y., Misran, A., Cheong, K. W., Daim, L. D. J., Ding, P., & Dek, M. S. P. (2020). Postharvest quality indices of different durian clones at ripening stage and their volatile organic compounds. Scientia Horticulturae, 264, 109169. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scienta.2019.109169
Vincente, A. R., Manganaris, G. A., Ortiz, C. M., Sozzi, G. O., & Crisosto, C. H. (2014). Chapter 5—Nutritional Quality of Fruits and Vegetables. In W. J. Florkowski, R. L. Shewfelt, B. Brueckner, & S. E. Prussia (Eds.), Postharvest Handling (Third Edition) (pp. 69–122). Academic Press. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-408137-6.00005-3
Wattanasan, J., Laohakunjit, N., Kaisangsri, N., Uthairatanakij, A., & Golding, J. B. (2025). Characteristics of seven commercial Thai Durian (Durio zibethinus) fruits at different ripening stages. Journal of Food Measurement and Characterization, 19(10), 7496-7516. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11694-025-03478-1
Yongyut, N., Baopa, P., Meetha, S., Isarangkool Na Ayutthaya, S., Chiu, C.-I., Sripontan, Y., Posom, J., & Nampila, S. (2025). Fruit Quality and Antioxidant Content in Durian (Durio zibethinus Murr.) cv. ‘Monthong’ in Different Maturity Stages. Horticulturae, 11(4), 432. https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae11040432
Zhan, Y., Hou, X., Fan, L., Du, Z., Ch’ng, S. E., Ng, S. M., Thepkaysone, K., Hao, E., & Deng, J. (2021). Chemical constituents and pharmacological effects of durian shells in ASEAN countries: A review. Chinese Herbal Medicines, 13(4), 461–471. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chmed.2021.10.001