The Thai Ministry of Public Health has issued a warning against excessive durian consumption.

Mangosteen--widely considered the "queen of all fruit"--carries too many flies to be permitted in the U.S.

The durian is a tall tree towering as high as 40m in the jungle rainforest or in semi-orchard. The fruit is green to brown in colour, pendulous, round to oblong in shape and is completely covered with strong sharp thorns. It is a capsule which splits into five parts when ripe and each segment contains brown seeds covered with thick, firm, creamy, yellow pulp with an overpowering aroma.

The mangosteen is one of the most praised of tropical fruits, and certainly the most esteemed fruit in the family Guttiferae. There are 4 to 8 triangular segments of snow-white, juicy, soft flesh. The flesh is slightly acid and mild to distinctly acid in flavor and is acclaimed as exquisitely luscious and delicious.

• more about the mangosteen
• more about the durian
• gigantic durian photo
• durian/mangosteen piece @ the village voice
• durian: the real forbridden fruit