Background

• Ackee (Blighia sapida) is the national fruit of Jamaica and grows in clusters on evergreen trees. Hypoglycin A (the causative toxic substance in ackee) is contained in the aril, seeds and husks of ackee fruit, at various stages of ripeness.
• The ingestion of unripe ackee for the purpose of medicinal or nutritional purposes can give rise to acute poisoning called "Jamaican vomiting sickness" or toxic hypoglycemic syndrome (THS). Adverse effects include loss of muscle tone, vomiting, convulsions, coma and death. Deaths have occurred after unintentional poisoning with ackee, and most of these deaths have occurred in small children ranging from 2-6 years-old. Only when the fruit ripens and opens naturally on the tree may the fruit be eaten; however, the membrane at the base should be removed.
• Various parts of the ackee tree have been used medicinally to expel parasites and to treat dysentery (severe diarrhea), ophthalmic conjunctivitis (eye inflammation) and headache. More research is needed to make a recommendation of the therapeutic benefits of ackee.
• Due to its toxicity, the importation of this fruit into the USA is forbidden by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

References

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