Durian odor forces German post office to evacuate, report says

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The nasty odor of durian fruit coming from a package at a Bavarian post office left six workers hospitalized and caused 60 workers to be evacuated, according to reports.

Twelve postal workers received treatment for nausea, the German broadcaster Bayerischer Rundfunk reported.

Cops and firefighters were dispatched to Schweinfurt in Germany on Saturday because the package was suspected to contain a dangerous gas or a harmful substance.

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The fruit’s smell has caused numerous evacuations globally.

Described as the "king of fruits" across Southeast Asia, the spiky fruit has a smell that's been compared to rotten meat, sewage and dead rats.

Stacked fruit and socalled Singaporean King of fruits Durian. Night shot. Fruit is quite tasting very strong and popular one for real Singaporean people. For foreigners mostly to strong smelling and tasting. One fruit is opened to see inner yellow pulp. Fruit is only available around Singapore and Maylasia. (iStock)

It is so smelly that one of the most prized varieties, Malaysian Musang King Durian, has never before been successfully imported to Britain -- until this decade.

The name of the spiny fruit comes from the Malay word for thorn, "duri," but the texture is soft and the flavor is sweet. The smell comes from high levels of sulphates in the fruit.

Durians are rich in nutrients, and it's believed to be excellent for improving muscle strength and blood pressure. But the sweet fruit is also is high in sugar and fat. An average 2-lb durian has close to 1,350 calories.

In the U.S., you can find Thai durian in many Asian markets and the fruit is used in everything from sweets to ice cream, as well as main dishes.

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Luckily durian is a very seasonal fruit, so if you're turned off by the smell you'll encounter it only certain times of the year.