THE EDITOR, Sir:
It is my considered opinion that there can be unacceptably high hypoglycine levels in processed ackee, based on the harvesting procedures employed.
Hypoglycine is a naturally occurring toxin found in the ackee which migrates from the edible portion up into the seeds. This normally occurs when the pod has matured on its own and has started opening.
It could be the case that the food processing plants which require large volumes of ackee to satisfy orders, as well as to keep the staff on hand occupied, engage in a kind of indiscriminate harvesting of the closed fruit at varying stages of pod maturity and then induce opening.
The issue is therefore two-fold, having not only to do with acceptance that export ackee can be successfully harvested on the verge of opening, but more so, ensuring consistency with the reapers in identifying uniformity among the mature pods, consequently limiting the need for artificial opening.
There is no connection to be made between high levels of hypoglycine in ackees and Jamaica's climatic conditions, rather the problem appears to be inadequate training of the reapers.
Ideally, ackee should start to open on the tree. For export standards though, harvesting may be at the first appearance of that SLIT or just before, no matter how few of these appear on the tripod-shaped pod. If the pod is spent (completely open) this, too, may be undesirable for export consideration since overexposure of the fruit is also going to impair quality.
I am, etc.,
DERRICK SIMON
Camp David, Golden Spring
