Every durian season, millions of durian seeds end up as waste after the fruit is eaten. While most people throw them away without a second thought, a group of students from Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) saw an opportunity to turn them into something valuable. Their idea became Doughrian, an innovative bread made using flour produced from durian seeds.
Developed as a final-year project by students from UPM’s Faculty of Food Science and Technology (FSTM), Doughrian aims to reduce food waste while offering consumers a healthier bread alternative.
How Doughrian Was Inspired By Malaysia’s Durian Industry
The team, led by Yeap Xiang Yang, came up with the idea after observing the challenges faced by Malaysia’s durian industry, especially when oversupply causes prices to fall.
Instead of focusing only on selling the fruit, the students looked at how discarded durian seeds could be transformed into a product with commercial value.
“We saw an opportunity to create new value from something that has always been treated as waste,” Yeap said. He added that Doughrian could eventually create additional income opportunities for businesses within the durian industry while reducing agricultural waste.
The project also supports Malaysia’s growing focus on the circular economy, where waste materials are reused instead of being discarded.
How Doughrian Is Made
Producing this begins with turning durian seeds into flour through a carefully controlled process.
The seeds are washed, boiled, cooled, peeled, sliced, dried, ground into flour, and sieved before being stored in airtight containers.
The flour is then baked and combined with other ingredients, resulting in a bakery product that delivers both nutritional and environmental benefits.
The students believe the project demonstrates how agricultural waste can be successfully converted into valuable food ingredients.
A Healthier Bread Alternative
Besides its sustainability benefits, Doughrian also stands out because of its nutritional profile.
According to the team, this product contains approximately 16.4% carbohydrates, significantly lower than conventional commercial bread, which typically contains between 40% and 50% carbohydrates.
It also contains around 20% protein and 13.9% dietary fibre, providing considerably more protein and fibre than many breads currently available on the market.
In addition, Doughrian has a low glycaemic index, is lactose-free, and is suitable for vegetarians, making it an attractive option for consumers looking for healthier food choices.
The rising number of Type 2 diabetes cases in Malaysia was another reason the students decided to develop Doughrian.
As more Malaysians become conscious of their carbohydrate intake, the team hopes Doughrian can offer a healthier everyday bread option while encouraging better eating habits.
Doughrian: More Than Just A Student Project
Beyond creating a healthier loaf of bread, Doughrian demonstrates how innovation can unlock value from materials that are often overlooked.
By transforming discarded durian seeds into flour, Doughrian reduces dependence on conventional flour while creating new opportunities for Malaysia’s durian industry to generate additional value from its by-products.
With Malaysia among the world’s largest durian producers, innovations like Doughrian show how research, sustainability, and entrepreneurship can come together to solve real industry challenges while creating products with commercial potential.
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