Artocarpus altilis (Parkinson) Fosberg

Laboratory study

In 2019, Gao and colleagues developed a breadfruit-flour beverage using selected lactic acid bacteria. Measurements included acidity, pH, sugars, microbial viability and sensory acceptance. This is a research starting point, not a commercial recipe validated for Odo or clinical proof of a probiotic effect. Each new formulation needs its own characterisation.

Literature synthesis

A 2007 Ghanaian publication describes cultivation in gardens, backyards and orchards. The fruit is compared with a “tree yam”. The authors report its use during the 1983 drought and highlight poorly documented cultivar diversity. This establishes an earlier presence, without providing a reliable first introduction date here. Surviving drought does not guarantee maintained harvests.

Literature synthesis

In 1769, Joseph Banks encountered breadfruit in Tahiti. The Bounty mission failed with the 1789 mutiny; the Providence subsequently delivered plants to St Vincent and Jamaica in 1793. The British project sought inexpensive food for enslaved plantation workers. Caribbean communities subsequently incorporated the fruit into their cuisines. French networks also distributed tropical planting material.

Literature synthesis

Pacific communities use the wood for canoes, objects and construction; inner bark for cloth and cordage; leaves for wrapping and serving; and latex for adhesion or caulking. Medicinal uses of leaves, roots, bark and latex are reported. They are retained here as documented traditions, without clinical validation or dosage recommendations. Reported termite resistance does not guarantee timber durability in Ghana.

Laboratory study

Dried male inflorescences are traditionally burned against insects. A 2012 study identified capric, undecanoic and lauric acids as compounds deterring Aedes aegypti biting in the assays used. This is an interesting Odo Lab research lead; laboratory findings do not validate a homemade formulation, protection duration on skin, or malaria prevention.