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32. Akee 

 Blighia sapida 



The red or orange podlike fruit of the akee has three cells 

 inside each pod and a large, black, shiny seed in each cell. The 

 white fleshy pulp surrounding the seeds may be eaten raw or 

 cooked. This part of the fruit is usually boiled in salt water and 

 fried. CAUTION: The seeds are very poisonous and the fallen 

 fruits, or unripe ones, or those in which the flesh has become dis- 

 colored must not be eaten because they are a deadly poison. The 

 fruit is ripe and a safe and good food if the edible portion (white 

 flesh surrounding the seeds) is firm and the orange or red skin is 

 bright in color. In the Caribbean the akee is most commonly 

 cultivated on the moist lowlands. It is also called huevo 

 vegetal and seso vegetal. 



