Spotlight on Breadfruit:
© Paul Vincent Mroso
Mar 6, 2004
Introduction:
The story of the ill-fated journey of the ‘Bounty’ gives an insight on how various fruits or plants were globally distributed. The Ship the ‘Bounty’ was sent to the South Pacific islands to collect seedlings of the breadfruit for introduction to the West Indies as a source of cheap food for the slaves. At present however breadfruit is not a cheap food but an article of commerce with the potential to increase in importance. Pearl Richards, (pictured) taught me all(see section on recipes) I know about breadfruit. The importance of this food crop has not been noted in the tropical Central African region where it grows well. Cultivating breadfruit in the food-deficient regions of moist humid tropical regions could influence food security aspects of the region because of its ability of producing fruit continuously throughout the year. Breadfruit is well known and fully exploited in the islands of the South Pacific and the West Indies.
The breadfruit is of two varieties, with seeds or seedless. Both varieties of trees grow to a height of 12-18 m and produce a compound spherical or ellipsoidal fruit that may grow to 30 cm in diameter and may weigh up to 3 Kg. The fruit starchy pulp of the seedless variety is used as food. The seeds are used as food for the seedy variety. The vegetable food: Breadfruit is a good source of carbohydrates and protein. The whitish centre provides good food when oven, coal or charcoal roasted, boiled, steamed or fried. Crisps and chips, including many forms of dishes and puddings can be prepared from this fruit. (Picture roasting breadfruit in an open wood fire in Jamaica) The natives of the Pacific Islands are able to preserve breadfruit for up to two years by controlled fermentation. The fruits are cut and immersed in seawater for 24 hours, then removed and piled and covered with palm leaves for an extra 48 hours. After this period the fruits are soft with a strong odour, are squeezed to dough, which is dried and stored. This preservation technique was developed as a means of securing food after hurricanes. This preservation of breadfruit that has advantages of fortifying the starchy nutrient is diminishing due to modern breadfruit canning. The bland taste of breadfruit may find extensive use in blending, mixes and fillers in foods. The first visitors to taste the fruit found its taste and feel similar to that of bread, hence its name.
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