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fruitFrom 6 months

Ackee

First taste
6 months
Choking risk
medium
Common allergen
no
Iron
low

Only ripe and fully cooked

Gluten-freeVegan

Note

In the US ackee may only be imported from FDA Green List producers. Use only fully ripe, properly processed canned ackee; unripe fruit and seeds are toxic.

When can babies eat ackee?

Ackee can be offered around 6 months, once baby is ready for solids, provided the fruit is ripe and cooked all the way through. The fruit comes from West Africa. It is beloved in Jamaican cooking. It is related to lychee and longan, but it is not sweet. When cooked it turns soft and creamy, with a mild taste.

Ripe, cooked ackee supplies healthy fats, protein, fiber, zinc, folate and calcium. It also has oleic and linoleic acid and vitamin C. Some of its carotenoids turn into vitamin A in the body.

How do you prepare ackee for babies?

Safe preparation

If you cook fresh ackee, boil it until bright yellow and pour the cooking water away. Canned products are cooked during processing, so you only need to warm them in the dish.

Ripe ackee has a yellowish-red to red skin that splits open by itself and shows large black seeds. A green or yellow skin that is still closed means the fruit is not ripe.

Unripe fruit is poisonous

Unripe ackee, the seeds, the pink membranes and the husks hold a toxin called hypoglycin. It can cause vomiting, low blood sugar, nerve and liver problems, and in severe cases death. Never serve them to your baby.

Ackee and saltfish

Jamaica's national dish, ackee and saltfish, can be shared once baby is ready for solids. Mash or chop the ackee. Saltfish is high in sodium, but babies usually eat small amounts, and family meals help them meet new flavors and textures. Still, cut back on added salt where you can.

Preparation by age

The same food is served differently at each age. What matters is how your baby sits, grasps and chews, more than the calendar.

6 months

6 months · How to prepare mashedmash

Cut: Flattened

Use only ripe, thoroughly cooked ackee. Mash it flat with a fork so baby can grab pieces by hand. You can also chop it small and stir it into a stew or another spoonable dish. Canned ackee is already cooked during canning, so just heat it with the rest of the meal.

9 months

9 months · How to prepare in small piecescube

Cut: Bite sized piece

Offer ripe, well-cooked ackee in small pieces. Your baby can practice grasping them between thumb and forefinger. You can also keep folding chopped ackee into stews, sautés and other spoonable dishes.

12 months

12 months · How to prepare in family dishescube

Cut: Bite sized piece

Ripe, fully cooked ackee works plain or inside a mixed recipe. Canned ackee only needs heating inside the meal. Keep the pieces small and check that no seed is left.

Is ackee a choking hazard for babies?

Choking risk: medium

Cooked ackee is slippery and springy, and the hard seed is a hazard. Remove every seed, then mash or chop the flesh small.

Cooked ackee is slippery and springy, and these qualities raise the chance of choking. The hard seed inside can also block the airway if it stays in. Always take out the seed, then mash the flesh or chop it small. Stay close and within reach while your baby eats.

Is ackee a common allergen?

Ackee is not a common allergen. Allergies are rare, though a few cases are reported. Give a small amount the first time and watch your baby.

Key nutrients

Healthy fatsProteinFiberZincFolateCalciumVitamin C

Frequently asked questions about ackee

Is ackee safe for babies?

Ackee that is ripe and cooked all the way through is usually fine in moderate portions. Unripe flesh, seeds, membranes and husks hold a toxin, so none of those may be eaten.

Is canned ackee safe?

Canned ackee is already cooked, which lowers the chance of eating unripe fruit by accident. No inspection system is perfect, though. Import rules differ by country, including the allowed hypoglycin A level. Pick a trusted brand.

How can I tell if ackee is ripe?

Ripe fruit has a yellowish-red to red skin that opens on its own and shows the black seeds. A green or yellow skin that stays closed means the fruit is unripe.

Sources for this page

  1. StatPearls Publishing (Surmaitis, Hamilton). (2021). Ackee Fruit Toxicity.
  2. Katibi OS, Olaosebikan R, Abdulkadir MB, Ogunkunle TO, Ibraheem RM, Murtala R. (2015). Ackee Fruit Poisoning in Eight Siblings: Implications for Public Health Awareness. American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene. doi:10.4269/ajtmh.15-0348
  3. Wray D, Goldson-Barnaby A, Bailey D. (2020). Ackee (Blighia Sapida KD Koenig): A Review of Its Economic Importance, Bioactive Components, Associated Health Benefits and Commercial Applications. International Journal of Fruit Science. doi:10.1080/15538362.2020.1772941
  4. GRANDE-TOVAR CD, JOHANNES DO, PUERTA LF, RODRÍGUEZ GC, SACCHETTI G, PAPARELLA A, et al. (2019). Bioactive micro-constituents of ackee arilli (Blighia sapida K.D. Koenig). Anais da Academia Brasileira de Ciências. doi:10.1590/0001-3765201920180140

Guides on iron, allergen introduction, gagging and drinks. Read the starting solids guides

Medical note

This page is for information only and is not a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Talk to your pediatrician before any feeding decision, especially about allergen introduction and reactions.

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Astro Tasarım Simay Yenice · Türkiye · merhaba@lokmini.com