Ackee

Ackee
Fruit
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Eudicots
Clade:	Rosids
Order:	Sapindales
Family:	Sapindaceae
Genus:	Blighia
Species:	B. sapida
Binomial name
Blighia sapida K.D.Koenig
Synonyms
Cupania sapida Voigt

The ackee (Blighia sapida), also known as acki, akee, or ackee apple, is a fruit of the

Although having a long-held reputation as being poisonous with potential fatalities,[7] the fruit arils are renowned as delicious when ripe, prepared properly, and cooked^[8] and are a feature of various Caribbean cuisines.^[2] Ackee is the national fruit of Jamaica and is considered a delicacy.^[8]

Botany

Ackee is an

The fruit is pear-shaped and has three lobes (two to four lobes are common).[12] When it ripens it turns from green to a bright red to yellow-orange and splits open to reveal three large, shiny black seeds, each partly surrounded by soft, creamy or spongy, white to yellow flesh — the aril having a nut-like flavor and texture of scrambled eggs.^[2][9] The fruit typically weighs 100–200 grams (3.5–7.1 oz).^[9] The tree can produce fruit throughout the year, although January–March and October–November are typically periods of fruit production.^[12]

• 
  Leaves, upper and lower surface
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  Inflorescence
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  Fruit as it splits upon ripening "smile"
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  Showing ripe fruit and seeds with their arils
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  Part of ripe fruit, two seeds with their arils still attached
• 
  Ripe seeds with their arils (dorsal view and in longitudinal section)

Cultivars

There are up to as many as forty-eight cultivars of ackee, which are grouped into either "butter" or "cheese" types.^[13] The cheese type is pale yellow in color and is more robust and finds use in the canning industry. The butter type is deeper yellow in color, and is more delicate and better suited for certain cuisine.^[13]

History and culinary use

Imported to Jamaica from West Africa before 1773,^[2][14] the use of ackee in Jamaican cuisine is prominent. Ackee is the national fruit of Jamaica,^[8] whilst ackee and saltfish is the official national dish of Jamaica.^[15]

The ackee is allowed to open fully before picking in order to eliminate toxicity. When it has "yawned" or "smiled", the seeds are discarded and the fresh, firm arils are

Ackee contains a moderate amount of carbohydrates, protein, and fat,[2] providing 51–58% of the dry weight of the arils as composed of fatty acids – linoleic, palmitic, and stearic acids.^[16] The raw fruit is a rich source of vitamin C.^[2]

Society and culture

The ackee is prominently featured in the Jamaican mento style folksong "Linstead Market". In the song, a market seller laments, "Carry mi ackee go a Linstead market. Not a quattie worth sell".^[17] The Beat's 1982 album Special Beat Service includes the song "Ackee 1-2-3".^[18]

Saltfish 'n Ackee is the preferred breakfast of

The unripened aril and the inedible portions of the fruit contain hypoglycin toxins including hypoglycin A and hypoglycin B, known as "soapberry toxins".^[7][19] Hypoglycin A is found in both the seeds and the arils, while hypoglycin B is found only in the seeds.^[9] Minimal quantities of the toxin are found in the ripe arils.^[20] In the unripe fruit, depending on the season and exposure to the sun, the concentrations may be up to 10 to 100 times greater.^[20]

These two molecules are converted in the body to

Though ackee is used widely in traditional dishes, research on its potential hypoglycin toxicity has been sparse and preliminary, requiring evaluation in well-designed clinical research to better understand its pharmacology, food uses, and methods for detoxification.^[24]

In 2011, it was found that as the fruit ripens, the seeds act as a sink whereby the hypoglycin A in the arils convert to hypoglycin B in the seeds.^[25] In other words, the seeds help in detoxifying the arils, bring the concentration of hypoglycin A to a level which is generally safe for consumption.^[26]

Commercial use

Ackee canned in brine is a commodity item and is used for export by Jamaica, Haiti and Belize.^[27] If propagated by seed, trees will begin to fruit in 3–4 years. Cuttings may yield fruit in 1–2 years.^[27][13]

Other uses

The fruit has various uses in West Africa and in rural areas of the Caribbean Islands, including use of its "soap" properties as a laundering agent or fish poison.