Uses of Mammee apple

Medical uses
The tree has limited medical potential. Nevertheless antibiotic principles have been reported to be found in mammee apples. Besides, under-ripe fruits are rich in pectin and the tree bark in tannin.

In traditional medicines of Central and Southern America, powdered mammey seeds are used against parasitic skin diseases. Ground seeds are stirred into hot water to obtain an anthelmintic infusion.

In Trinidad & Tobago the grated seeds of the Mammy Apple are mixed with rum or coconut oil to treat head lice and chiggers.

Culinary interest
Though edible, this fruit has received little attention worldwide.

However the raw flesh can be served in fruit salads, or with wine, sugar or cream, especially in Jamaica. In the Bahamas, the flesh is first put in salted water in order to remove its bitterness, before cooking it with much sugar to make a sort of jam. The flesh can also be consumed stewed.

In the French West Indies, an aromatic liqueur, of the name of Eau de Créole, or Crème de Créole, is distilled from the mammee flowers. This liqueur is believed to be tonic or digestive.

In El Salvador, a mamey-flavoured carbonated drink called Kolashanpan is considered by most the national soda.

Other
Various parts of the tree contain insecticidal substances, especially the seed kernel. In Puerto Rico, mammee leaves are wrapped up around young tomato plants in order to keep mole crickets and cutworms away. In a similar way, the bark gum is melted with fat in Jamaica and Mexico, then applied to feet to fight against chiggers or to get rid of fleas on animals. The same effect is also obtained from infusions of half-ripe fruits.

In the Virgin Islands, the tannin from the bark is used to treat leather. The mammee timber is heavy and hard, yet easy to work. However, it has received only limited interest.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mammee_Apple
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