Singapore scientists turn durian husks into bandages
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One durian’s yellow, soft flesh is seen inside its thorny, green husk. This was taken in Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia).
Getty Images| AFP | Getty Images
It is loved by some, and hated by others.
Durians are banned on all public transportation in Singapore due to their smell — which some have likened to sewage or smelly socks. Some hotels in Southeast Asia prohibit guests from bringing fruit into their rooms.
Yet some durian-lovers are willing to pay top dollar for the “king of the fruit” — with someone reportedly parting with a whopping $48,000 for one in 2019.
However, there might be an even better reason to love the prickly fruit.
Scientists in Singapore are using durian husks to create antibacterial bandages they say can heal post-surgery wounds.
Recycling rinds
The technology — developed by a team of researchers at Singapore’s Nanyang Technological University (NTU) — uses an inexpensive process to extract cellulose from the fruit’s thick, green husks. The cellulose is mixed with glycerol to create a soft, silicone-like gel, which can be cut to produce plasters, according to the university.
These bandages can be made as long Singaporeans continue eating durians.
William Chen
Researcher at Nanyang Technological University
Twitter was flooded with questions and most were focused on the pungent fruit smell.
Some wonder if durian’s powerful smell is a coincidence. can be detected on the bandagesOr if wearers will be barred from public buses
Chen said that the bandages were odorless.
Others joked about it, with one saying — tongue-in-cheek — that it wasn’t surprising that durian plasters can kill bacteria
The researchers believe that the new innovation can help to solve the serious problem of food waste, regardless of the reaction.
William Chen (director of NTU’s Food Science and Technology Program and chief scientist behind the invention) said, “It ties into our drive to develop innovations for food waste as an overall.”
One of the members of his research team, Professor William Chen, experiments on durian shells.
NTU Singapore
A minimum of one vendor selling durian is enthusiastic about the prospect.
James Wong from Singapore who sells durians, stated to CNBC that “that invention…is a fantastic way of recycling the husk.” According to him, durian peels currently go into the trash and are then disposed of by waste management companies. He said, “It is better to be in a position to make money from the husk.”
80 percent of the fruit’s total weight
Chen explained to CNBC that Singapore’s food is very affordable because it’s heavily subsidized government.
“The problem with cheap, abundant food is we don’t value it,” he stated.
Nanyang Technological University scientists developed a hydrogel wrap made from recycled durian husks.
NTU Singapore
Chen experimented with durian shells in an effort to curb food waste. Durian husks are a type of material typically thrown out after eating the fleshy, soft yellow fruit. It can make up about 80% to the weight of the fruit.
The researcher stated that Durians were the preferred fruit because of several factors.
Scientists can work with large fruits such as durians, which are huge. These fruits are also high in fiber, making them ideal for this process.
Chen stated that durian availability was also a key factor.
He stated that Singapore consumes 12,000,000 durians each year. We can continue making these bandages as long Singaporeans continue to eat durians.
There are benefits as well as drawbacks
Chen says that bandages made of durian husks can be both medically and environmentally beneficial. The new bandages, unlike existing plasters that contain plasters, have hydrogels. These can be used to protect and moisten wounds.
Some experts in medicine are also on board with this innovation.
Associate Professor Andrew Tan of NTU’s medical school said, “The hydrogel bands made from durian-husk performed equally well to those available on the marketplace,” but he isn’t part of this bandage project.
Hydrogels are moisturizing agents that help remove diseased tissue. They also aid in pain relief.
On June 24, 2021, people waited in long lines to purchase durians in Singapore.
Suhaimi Abdullah | NurPhoto | Getty Images
Priyadarshani kamat, a Singaporean homeopath said that “I believe nature has all the answers.” “I’ve witnessed how potato peel bandages help burn victims quickly recover their skin in the past. [durian]Hydrogel can be used in place of that.
Durian bandages aren’t primed to replace all bandages — not yet anyway. Tan pointed out they aren’t suitable for heavy wounds, as they are mostly composed of water.
These aren’t biodegradable in 100%. Chen said that while the team was able to replace the soft cushioned layer with the Durian Hydrogel, the outer adhesive is still made out of plastic.
Chen and his colleagues still hope to have the durian-husk bandages on the market in the next two year.
This makes it a little easier to eat durians, knowing that the husks could be donated for good causes.
Xin Yu Lin
Singaporean student
Chen said to CNBC, “I want research to be useful to society.”
He said that these innovations shouldn’t replace the need for less waste. “We don’t want these innovations to fire-fight with increasing waste — the idea is to reduce it at its source,” he said.
Chen’s research made one durian lover feel better about the fruit.
“I know the durian husks, especially during durian season, contribute to a lot of waste,” said Singaporean student Xin Yi Lin, who is a self-proclaimed durian-fanatic. The husks are recyclable and can make me feel a little better about eating durians.
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