Ackee Fruit
Unripe ackee fruit can cause vomiting or even death after they’re consumed.
It’s derived from the ackee tree, a huge tropical evergreen that grows to over 40 feet in height. This red/orange fruit is common in West Africa and Jamaica, and it splits open when it’s fully ripe. Eating unripened ackee fruit can cause Jamaican vomiting sickness, which can ultimately lead to a coma or death.
Don’t eat it before it splits, because the unripe flesh carries a toxin called hypoglycin, which stops the body from converting food into simple sugar, resulting in dangerously low blood sugar i.e. hypoglycemia. So, the ackee should not be eaten until the ackee’s protective outer pods open naturally and turn red.
Clinically, ackee poisoning has the charming name of “Jamaican vomiting sickness.”
