AI durian ‘inspector’ launched in China, can scan fruit’s quality in 4 seconds

China’s durian sorting machine uses X-rays & AI to detect unripe or bad fruits before opening

Anyone who’s ever cracked open a durian only to discover it’s unripe or filled with “dead pods” knows the heartbreak. But those days may soon be numbered, thanks to a new AI-powered system in China’s Hainan province that can “see” inside a durian without cracking it open.

The FD3 intelligent durian sorting system was unveiled to the public on 19 July at the 2025 Hainan Durian Production and Sales Matching Event.

It promises to change how the popular thorny fruit is graded and sold, reports Shin Min Daily News.

4-second scans with 95% accuracy

The machine uses a combination of food-grade X-ray technology and artificial intelligence to analyse each durian’s internal structure in just four seconds.

It identifies tricky issues such as ripeness, unripe flesh, or rottenness — all things that buyers usually only discover after opening the fruit.

“The AI system can perform an X-ray on each durian in just four seconds,” said Mr Fang Yuan, project manager of the FD3 system. He also claimed that the system has a current accuracy rate of 95%.

He added that they expect the system to continue to improve over time. As more data is collected through ongoing operations, the AI model learns and evolves on its own.

How the AI durian machine works

Durians are placed on a conveyor belt and scanned by the machine.

The system’s AI software then analyses the X-ray images to determine the fruit’s internal condition. Only durians that pass quality checks move forward in the supply chain, reducing waste and improving customer satisfaction.

The process is fully automated and designed to handle large volumes of fruit efficiently, making it attractive for producers and distributors looking to cut costs and maintain quality.

Also read: S’pore durian seller called out for alleged unsanitary food packaging practices during livestreams