Don't Eat the Ackee! Food and Drug Administration Recalls Jamaican Fruit

The Food and Drug Administration has announced the recall of some shipments of ackee – a tropical fruit imported from Jamaica – because the fruit has levels of a naturally occurring toxin called hypoglycin. In rare cases, high levels of hypoglycin can lead to convulsions, coma, and even death.

The food recall involves 31 cases of Ashman’s Ackees fruit in Brine, distributed by Harvest Foods, Hartford, Connecticut. The fruit was sold in 19-ounce cans and were shipped in early November to one wholesaler in New York, and to retail stores and restaurants in New York, Massachusetts, and Connecticut.

No illnesses have been reported to FDA concerning the Harvest Foods product.

Hypoglycins in the ackee are found in toxic levels when the fruit is picked too early and is under-ripe. Because of the potentially serious health issues associated with consuming high levels of hypoglycin, the FDA is advising consumers not to eat Ashman’s Ackees in Brine, and to return this product to the point of purchase for a refund. Consumers who have eaten this product should contact their doctors immediately.