Breadfruit or Artocarpus altilis is a very popular tree species in the Pacific because they bear fruits that are very versatile. John Letman of Inter Press Service (IPS) News Agency reports that the popularity of breadfruit is growing in the Caribbean thanks to a variety called Ma'afala. This wide popularity may be due to it's rich taste combined with the ability to replace expensive ingredients in traditional cooking recipes. Its popularity has encouraged researchers to explore ways of extending its shelf-life.
A variety introduced recently to the Caribbean is Ma'afala. It has become popular because it’s very amenable to mass propagation since it has the highest protein and mineral nutrition (iron, potassium, zinc) out of 94 varieties studied. All the Ma'afala grown and distributed in the Caribbean today originates from the collection at the Breadfruit Institute.
John’s article states that non-governmental organizations have increased their activities towards testing, growing and distributing this plant, believing that it holds untapped potential to alleviate malnutrition and food insecurity.
Breadfruit is easy to grow and a single tree can easily yield 200 kg or more of food per year. Like many other high yielding fruit trees, beadfruit has gluten and thus has a very short shelf life and must be consumed immediately, claims John. Hence although it holds so much potential for alleviating malnutrition, its short shelf life makes it difficult to store and ship to markets.
A solution out of this predicament may be to turn the fruits into flour. In the article, Dr Camille George, an associate professor at the University of St. Thomas (UST) says, “When breadfruit is milled to flour, it has a shelf life measured in years and can be used for bread cakes, porridge, and other baked goods.” It turns out that milling breadfruit makes it gluten free and hence extends the shelf life of this much sought-after tree.
Read more of John Letman’s article.
Visit the World Agroforestry Centre tree database to read more on Breadfruits.
