PARLIAMENT | Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Minister Ahmad Shabery Cheek has called for more research to be conducted into the aphrodisiac qualities of the durian.

In the Dewan Rakyat today, Ahmad Shabery repeated a claim he heard from a friend about its supposed benefits to men.

"I was told by a friend (who said) that a research claims that durian contains an aphrodisiac element.

"It is good for men. That's what he said," Ahmad Shabery said during the Minister's Question Time.

"We will ask the relevant body to conduct further research into the matter," he said.

Besides its aphrodisiac qualities, he added that there are various studies showing that durians contain anti-ageing antioxidants.

Ahmad Shabery was asked by his colleague Dr Noor Azmi Ghazali (BN-Bagan Serai) on the health-related pros and cons that may arise due to the frequency of durian consumption.

Noor Azmi also asked how the government would address claims that durian may cause diabetes.

Citing several international food research findings, the minister said the durian is said to be one of the most nutritious fruits in the world.

'Durian brings happiness'

According to him, the benefits of durian consumption include better immunology, prevention of cancer and improvement to coughing (as the durian skin contains analgesic element).

Elaborating further, Ahmad Shabery said the durian is proven to produce serotonin, which will make people relaxed and happy.

"The slogan of durian bringing happiness is a truth, according to the expert views," he said.

He noted that the people should not blame durian for diabetes as it is not a cause of the chronic disease.

"Everything we eat should be at a moderate level," Ahmad Shabery added.

The country has come up with technique to store durian for one year, by freezing the fruits and using collagen.

"Then, the issue surrounding the 'seasonal fruit' will no longer be an issue," he said.

Ahmad Shabery is confident that Malaysians and consumers around the world will choose the durian from Malaysia over the fruit from Thailand.