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Ackee (Blighia sapida) is Jamaica’s top fruit, its national fruit and when prepared together with salt-fish it is called the national dish. In fact ackee is so much connected to Jamaica that Jamaica has been referred to as the “Big Ackee”, while the distribution of ackee world-wide can be regarded as an ‘indicator species for Jamaican connections’....
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... Numerous behavioural assays have been designed in such a way that some studies and testing can start as early as the embryo stage while other assays can also be designed to study adult behaviour such as geotaxis [20], learning and memory [21], vision, and taste [22]. Ackee (Blighia sapida K.D. Koenig) is a shady tree crop common in Jamaica and parts of West Africa [23,24]. The fleshy and edible part of the ripened fruit is the arils, and the fleshy arils are used in the preparation of sauce and soup among some ethnic groups in Jamaica and parts of West Africa [25]. ...
... Ackee plants are ubiquitous and well consumed in some localities in West Africa and South America where ground water that is often contaminated with heavy metals is the main source of drinkable water [23,24]. The biological roles and therapeutic applications which are played by the various Ackee plant parts such as the leaves (AL) and arils (AS), which are mostly consumed, and the stem barks and roots used in traditional remedies towards alleviating or ameliorating cytotoxicity have not been well-reported. ...
Different ethnomedical benefits have been documented on different parts of Ackee (Blighia sapida); however, their roles in ameliorating oxidative damages are not well established. CdCl2 inhibitory effects on some oxidative-stress biomarkers and ameliorative potentials of Ackee leaves (AL) and arils (AS) methanolic extracts were studied using Drosophila melanogaster as a model. One to 3-day-old D. melanogaster flies were orally exposed to different concentrations of CdCl2 in their diet for 7 days. The fly’s survival profile and negative geotaxis assays were subsequently analysed. Methanolic extracts of AL and AS treatments showed negative geotaxis behaviour, and extracts were able to ameliorate the effect of Cd2+ on catalase and GST activities and increase total thiol and GSH levels, while it reduced the H2O2 generation ( p ≤ 0.05 ) when compared to the control. Furthermore, Cd2+ exhibited noncompetitive and uncompetitive enzyme inhibition on catalase and GST activities, respectively, which may have resulted in the formation of Enzyme-substrate-Cd2+ transition complexes, thus inhibiting the conversion of substrate to product. This study, thus, suggests that the Cd2+ mechanism of toxicity was associated with oxidative damage, as evidenced by the alteration in the oxidative stress-antioxidant imbalance, and that the AL and AS extracts possess essential phytochemicals that could alleviate possibly deleterious oxidative damage effects of environmental pollutants such as CdCl2. Thus, Ackee plant parts possess essential phytonutrients which could serve as valuable resources in heavy metal toxicity management.
... Ackee's apple tree is a fruit tree from Guinean forests of West Africa, where it is noted particularly for its medicinal and aesthetic values. Monkey kola on the other hand, is a wild plant of tropical and sub-tropical countries whose place of origin was probably supposed to be from Indonesia (Mitchell [11]). Cola millenii belong to the Sterculiaceae family, genus Cola and species millenii. ...
The proximate analysis of the fruit sample that homogenously sampled from the wild was taken and quartered to get appreciable weight fit for analysis. Due to it perishable nature the quartered sample for each of the fruit was stored in an air tight container and kept in the refrigerator at a temperature of about 4°C. For the determination of the nutritional composition, parameters which include their proximate, minerals, and vitamin C were quantitatively determined while the anti-nutrient composition were qualitatively and quantitatively analyzed. Compared to ackee’s apple, monkey cola was found to consist of 64.41% moisture content, 1.69% ash, 10.21% crude fibre, 1.25% crude fat, 4.44% crude fibre, 18.06% carbohydrates while ackee’s apple consist of 73.21% moisture, 1.49% ash, 9.38 % crude protein, 13.98% crude fat, 2.08% crude fibre, 0.86% carbohydrates and 4.45% of vitamin C. The mineral analysis for both samples was quantitatively determined using Atomic Absorption spectrophotometer (AAS). The minerals determined for ackee’s apple and monkey cola were magnesium which was 1391.65 ppm, calcium 628.23 ppm, sodium 506.96 ppm, potassium 3976.14 ppm, iron 1.0 ppm, copper 5.00, zinc 4.00, cobalt 3.0 and phosphorus 2616.90 ppm the iron however, was not detected. Ackee’s apple on the other hand, consist of magnesium 498.01 ppm, calcium 478.56 ppm, sodium 398.80 ppm, potassium 4970.18 ppm, copper 2.00, zinc 5.00, cobalt 3.0 and phosphorus 373.84 ppm. The qualitative screening of the anti-nutrients revealed the absence of phenol from both fruit samples while tannins were present only in the monkey cola. The flavonoids, phytic acid and oxalate were quantitatively determined to be 1240 mg, 625 mg and 155 mg for Monkey kola and 640 mg, 340 mg and 65 mg for Ackee’s apple.
... Blighia sapida or ackee as it is commonly known, is a native West African evergreen tree from the Sapindaceae family of angiosperms (Goldson, 2005;Lancashire, 2013). Although there is some uncertainty surrounding the introduction of ackees to Jamaica, several authors have stated that it was brought to the country by slave ships during the 18 th century (Goldson, 2005;Mitchell et al., 2008;Lancashire, 2013). Since then, the fruit has become very popular among Jamaicans and has been declared the Country's National Fruit. ...
... Since then, the fruit has become very popular among Jamaicans and has been declared the Country's National Fruit. A key ingredient in the Country's National Dish is saltfish which forms a part of the dish "ackee and saltfish" (Mitchell et al., 2008). Scholars believe that the name "ackee" may have origins in West Africa where the trees and fruits are referred to as "akyefufuo", "ankye" (Goldson, 2005;Osei et al., 2014;Katibi et al., 2015;JIS, 2018). ...
... Scholars believe that the name "ackee" may have origins in West Africa where the trees and fruits are referred to as "akyefufuo", "ankye" (Goldson, 2005;Osei et al., 2014;Katibi et al., 2015;JIS, 2018). The ackee tree received its scientific name, Blighia sapida, in honor of Captain Bligh who brought samples of the Jamaican plant to the Royal Botanic Gardens in Kew, England in 1793 (Goldson, 2005;Mitchell et al., 2008;Lancashire, 2013). Ackees are widely grown in Jamaica with the main production areas being St. Elizabeth and Clarendon (Lancashire, 2013). ...
Blighia sapida
(ackee) is the national fruit of Jamaica with origins in West Africa. It is considered an economically important crop to Jamaica with export earnings averaging about US$15 million annually. There is significant untapped potential for this fruit despite concerns regarding its consumption due to the presence of two toxins, hypoglycin A and hypoglycin B. Hypoglycin A decreases as the fruit matures whereas hypoglycin B is only present in the seeds which are discarded before the aril is prepared for consumption. Ackee is a particularly nutritious fruit due to it richness in bioactive compounds, vitamins, minerals, fats and proteins while being low in calories. These properties make it ideal for further commercialization and production of additional value-added products in the food, industrial and pharmaceutical sectors.
... Although, parts of the tree have applications in traditional medicine, fishery, livestock feed [14], the nutrient-dense edible arils from the ripe fruits have not been much explored in West African diets as compared to the other areas. For instance, it constitutes a popular ingredient of the Jamaican cuisine [15] and also a cheap source of proteins. Moreover, the arils have a large export market as canned and frozen products in the US, UK and Canada [15]. ...
... For instance, it constitutes a popular ingredient of the Jamaican cuisine [15] and also a cheap source of proteins. Moreover, the arils have a large export market as canned and frozen products in the US, UK and Canada [15]. Where as in West Africa, they are sun dried and locally sold on rural markets [16]. ...
... Ripe ackee fruits were harvested at mature stages from 5 to 9 [15] between mid-February and mid-April 2015 from trees located on KNUST campus Kumasi and in Accra. Mature (12 months) cassava roots (Otuhia variety) and groundnut seeds (Yenyawoso variety) were obtained from Crops Research Institute of the CSIR, Fumesua, Ghana. ...
... Ackee pod poultice has been used for skin infections, ringworm and liver spots. The ripe arils, with sugar and cinnamon, have been given as a febrifuge and as a treatment for dysentery [23]. With regard to its supply, scores of plant material such as the seeds and pods of the Blighia sapida are discarded, accounting for 70% (w/w) of the ackee fruit [24]. ...
Discovering novel means of protection from harmful substances in toothpaste is essential due to its mass production, and frequent exposure to its ingredients by consumers. This method of safeguarding through discovery demonstrates toothpaste safety, which is at risk of being stifled by other commercial priorities. Among the ingredients in toothpaste that cause adverse effects is sodium lauryl sulphate (SLS). An understanding of this source and its effects therefore allows for investigating preventative strategies through the use of safer alternatives. Saponin, a naturally occurring chemical in several plant species was discovered to be an alternative compound that may parallel the effects of sodium lauryl sulphate, yet exude less ill effects. This article highlights the benefits of saponin and its presence in a heavily consumed and exported fruit in Jamaica (ackee, Blighia sapida). The possibility of extracting saponin from ackee, and its use in the toothpaste industry as an alternative to sodium lauryl sulphate are discussed. Through consideration of this alternative, the potential exists to improve the safety of toothpastes and consequently improve oral health.
... Como también ha sido observado por Vargas (1999) en Honduras, y por Mitchell et al. (2008) en Jamaica, los árboles de ackee en Costa Rica por lo general, producen dos cosechas al año con diferencias en el rendimiento de cada una. La primera cosecha, que es la más productiva, debido a un mayor peso y calidad de los arilos, se presenta en los meses de febrero a marzo y la segunda de setiembre a octubre, donde los frutos se dañan más por un exceso de humedad ambiental. ...
Introducción. El ackee, Blighia sapida, es un árbol originario del continente africano y en Costa Rica, los frutos son consumidos principalmente por los afrodescendientes radicados en el Atlántico. Objetivo. Describir la distribución geográfica, diversidad fenotípica y el manejo del cultivo del ackee, en la Región Huetar Atlántica de Costa Rica. Materiales y métodos. Se realizó una prospección y caracterización vegetativa y reproductiva, además de la medición del índice de rendimiento (IR), de materiales de ackee entre los años 2015 y 2016. Resultados. Se evaluaron 66 árboles que crecían a todo lo largo de la carretera Braulio Carrillo y la carretera hacia el Atlántico sur. Los cantones donde se ubicaron mayor cantidad de genotipos fueron Siquirres y Limón. La gran mayoría de estos materiales se encontraban creciendo cerca de las viviendas, lo que denota un arraigo de esta especie en la cultura culinaria local. De los cuarenta genotipos caracterizados, se encontró poca variabilidad fenotípica en los carácteres vegetativos. En cuanto a los frutos, estos mostraron mayor diversidad, con variación en el peso, tamaño, color y número, y peso y firmeza de los arilos. Un 86,9 % de los genotipos presentaron arilos con consistencia firme antes y después de realizar la prueba de cocción. Los valores de IR estuvieron entre 8 y 20, siendo los mejores genotipos los que presentaron un índice cercano a 8. El manejo agronómico de los árboles en cuanto a fertilización, podas, control de plagas y patógenos, es casi inexistente. Conclusión. Se sugiere validar el uso de los árboles seleccionados por su buen desempeño productivo y establecer las bases para un manejo agronómico simple, que comprenda el uso de fertilización, podas, mayores densidades de siembra, entre otras labores, y medir el impacto sobre la productividad y la calidad de los frutos de esta especie.
... Many parts of the plants (leaves, seeds, arils, stem, bark and whole plant) are being used in the preparation of concoctions for treating varieties of common ailments caused by countless numbers of microbial parasites. These include conjunctivitis, fever, malaria, dysentery, burns, dental decay, constipation, epilepsy, yellow fever and diabetics with virtually no side effect [19,26,3,14]. The aqueous extract of the seed of Ackee was claimed to be capable of expelling parasites while its roots, bark, leaves, capsules and seeds were identified in the treatment of 22 diseases [3]. ...
... This could alleviate the treatment cost as compared to synthetic drugs which may be expensive and with some side effects. This study also provides reasons for the traditional medicinal advocacy for consumption of ripe ackee arils in relief of diabetic, constipation, wounds, sore and infectious diseases in which Klebsiella pneumoniae and Staphylococcus aureus were implicated [19]. ...
... Many parts of the plants (leaves, seeds, arils, stem, bark and whole plant) are being used in the preparation of concoctions for treating varieties of common ailments caused by countless numbers of microbial parasites. These include conjunctivitis, fever, malaria, dysentery, burns, dental decay, constipation, epilepsy, yellow fever and diabetics with virtually no side effect [19,26,3,14]. The aqueous extract of the seed of Ackee was claimed to be capable of expelling parasites while its roots, bark, leaves, capsules and seeds were identified in the treatment of 22 diseases [3]. ...
... This could alleviate the treatment cost as compared to synthetic drugs which may be expensive and with some side effects. This study also provides reasons for the traditional medicinal advocacy for consumption of ripe ackee arils in relief of diabetic, constipation, wounds, sore and infectious diseases in which Klebsiella pneumoniae and Staphylococcus aureus were implicated [19]. ...
... The ackee (Blighia sapidia) is a tropical fruit of the Sapindaceae family and is native to West African countries such as Cameroon, Gabon, Benin, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, and Togo (Morton, 1987b;Goldson, 2005;Mitchell, Webster, & Ahmad, 2008). The ackee tree grows about 40-ft. ...
... Although the fruit is native to West Africa, it is not a major source of food in that region (Mitchell et al., 2008). Alternatively, ackee fruit is a source of food among many people of the Caribbean and Central and South America. ...
... The edible part of the fruit is the arils, which become exposed once the fruit is fully matured (Figures 13.7 Figure 13.7 Small, Hard, Green, Immature, and Unopened Ackee, Unsuitable for Processing or Eating. Adapted from Mitchell et al. (2008). and 13.8). ...
Throughout the long period of human history, mushrooms played a very important role in some societies, where they were used as a highly appreciated food and medicine and as a psychoactive substances in some religious rites. As extremely healthy and nutritious foodstuffs, low in calories, fats, and essential fatty acids, and on the other hand high in vegetable proteins, vitamins, and minerals, mushrooms are recommended and desirable in our daily diet. Most people prefer to eat them fresh due to much more attractive flavor and texture, which rarely can be compared to that of processed mushrooms. However, mushrooms are highly perishable foods, subject to extremely rapid microbiologic and biochemical changes. In an effort to extend their shelf life and thus make them available to more people, over a longer period, several preserving methods have been developed.
... Jamaican vomiting sickness or toxic hypoglycemic syndrome, caused by the high amounts of hypoglycin A and B in unripe fruits was a major drawback to the exploitation of ackee arils for food [3,4]. However, exposure of the fruit arils to the sun at full maturity, when fruit pods split open, reduces the hypoglycin A and B contents of the arils to negligible amounts, making them safe for consumption [5,6]. ...