View source for Breadfruit

{{short description|Edible fruit-bearing tree in family Moraceae}}
{{other uses|List of plants known as breadfruit}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2025}}
{{speciesbox
|name = Breadfruit 
|image = Artocarpus altilis (fruit).jpg
|image_caption = Breadfruit at [[Tortuguero, Costa Rica|Tortuguero]], Costa Rica
|genus = Artocarpus
|species = altilis
|authority = ([[Sydney Parkinson|Parkinson]]) [[Francis Raymond Fosberg|Fosberg]]
|synonyms = * ''Artocarpus altilis var. non-seminiferus'' <small>(Duss) Fournet</small>) 
* ''Artocarpus altilis var. seminiferus '' <small>(Duss) Fournet </small> 
* ''Artocarpus communis'' <small> J.R.Forst. & G.Forst. </small>
* ''Artocarpus incisifolius'' <small> Stokes [Illegitimate]</small> 
* ''Artocarpus incisus'' <small> (Thunb.) L.f. </small> 
* ''Artocarpus incisus var. non-seminiferus'' <small> Duss </small>
* ''Artocarpus incisus var. seminiferus'' <small> Duss </small> 
* ''Artocarpus laevis '' <small>Hassk. </small>
* ''Artocarpus papuanus'' <small> Diels [Illegitimate] </small>
* ''Artocarpus rima '' <small>Blanco </small> 
* ''Radermachia incisa '' <small>Thunb. [Unplaced] </small> 
* ''Saccus laevis'' <small> Kuntze </small> 
* ''Sitodium altile'' <small> Parkinson ex F.A.Zorn </small><ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.theplantlist.org/tpl/record/kew-2653919 |title=Artocarpus altilis (Parkinson ex F.A.Zorn) Fosberg  |website=The Plant List |access-date= 12 January 2016}}</ref>
}}

'''Breadfruit''' ('''''Artocarpus altilis''''') is a species of [[Flowering plant|flowering tree]] in the [[morus (plant)|mulberry]] and [[jackfruit]] family ([[Moraceae]])<ref name="morton">{{cite web |url= http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/morton/breadfruit.html |first=Julia F |last=Morton |year=1987 |title= Breadfruit | work= Fruits of Warm Climates |pages=50–58 |publisher= NewCROP, Center for New Crops and Plant Products, Department of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture, Purdue University| place= West Lafayette, Indiana  |access-date=17 January 2017}}</ref> believed to have been [[selectively bred]] in [[Polynesia]] from the breadnut (''[[Artocarpus camansi]]'').<ref name="ntbg">{{cite web| url= https://ntbg.org/breadfruit/about/species| title= Breadfruit Species| publisher= National Tropical Botanical Garden|year= 2017| access-date= 17 January 2017| archive-date= 8 November 2022| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20221108051939/https://ntbg.org/breadfruit/about/species/| url-status=live}}</ref> Breadfruit was spread into Oceania via the [[Austronesian expansion]] and to further tropical areas during the [[Colonial Era]].<ref name=morton/><ref name="Matisoo-Smith2015">{{cite journal |last1=Matisoo-Smith |first1=Elizabeth A. |title=Tracking Austronesian expansion into the Pacific via the paper mulberry plant |journal=Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences |date=3 November 2015 |volume=112 |issue=44 |pages=13432–13433 |doi= 10.1073/pnas.1518576112|pmid=26499243 |pmc=4640783 |bibcode= 2015PNAS..11213432M |doi-access= free }}</ref> British and French navigators introduced a few Polynesian seedless varieties to Caribbean islands during the late 18th century.<ref name=morton/>

It is grown in 90 countries throughout South and Southeast Asia, islands in the Pacific Ocean and Caribbean Sea, Central America, and Africa.<ref name=ntbg/> Its name is derived from the texture of the moderately ripe fruit when cooked, similar to freshly baked bread and having a potato-like flavor.<ref name= ntbg/><ref name="kew">{{cite web |year=2017 |title=''Artocarpus altilis'' (breadfruit) |url= http://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:582598-1 |access-date=17 January 2017 | website= kew.org |publisher= Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens| place= Kew Gardens, Richmond, Surrey, UK}}</ref>

The trees have been widely planted in tropical regions, including lowland Central America, northern South America, and the [[Caribbean]].<ref name=morton/><ref name=ntbg/> In addition to the fruit serving as a [[staple food]] in many cultures, the light, sturdy timber of breadfruit has been used for making furniture, houses, and [[surfboard]]s in the tropics.<ref name=morton/>

Breadfruit is closely related to ''A.&nbsp;camansi'' (breadnut or seeded breadfruit) of New Guinea, the [[Maluku Islands]], and the [[Philippines]], ''[[Artocarpus blancoi|A. blancoi]]'' (''tipolo'' or ''antipolo'') of the Philippines, and slightly more distantly to ''[[Artocarpus mariannensis|A. mariannensis]]'' (''dugdug'') of [[Micronesia]], all of which are sometimes also referred to as "breadfruit". It is also closely related to the [[jackfruit]].<ref name="Diane Ragone- Breadfruit"/>

== Description ==

Breadfruit trees grow to a height of {{convert|26|m|abbr=on}}.<ref name="morton" /> The large and thick [[leaves]] are deeply cut into [[pinnate]] lobes. All parts of the tree yield [[latex]],<ref name="morton" /> which is useful for boat [[caulking]].<ref name="kew" />

The trees are [[monoecious]], with male and female flowers growing on the same tree. The male [[flower]]s emerge first, followed shortly afterward by the female flowers. The latter grow into [[Head (botany)|capitula]], which are capable of [[pollination]] just three days later. Pollination occurs mainly by [[fruit bats]], but cultivated varieties produce fruit without pollination.<ref name="kew" /> The compound, false fruit develops from the swollen [[perianth]], and originates from 1,500 to 2,000 flowers visible on the skin of the fruit as hexagon-like disks.<ref name=ntbg/>

Breadfruit is one of the highest-yielding food plants, with a single tree producing up to 200 or more grapefruit-sized fruits per season, requiring limited care. In the South Pacific, the trees yield 50 to 150 fruits per year, usually round, oval, or oblong, and weighing {{convert|0.25| to |6.0|kg|sigfig=2|abbr=on}}.<ref name="ntbg" /> Productivity varies between wet and dry areas. Studies in [[Barbados]] indicate a reasonable potential of {{convert|6.7| to |13.4|ST/acre|order=flip|abbr=on}}.<ref name="morton" /> The ovoid fruit has a rough surface, and each fruit is divided into many [[achene]]s, each surrounded by a fleshy [[perianth]] and growing on a fleshy [[receptacle (botany)|receptacle]]. Most selectively bred [[cultivar]]s have [[seedless fruit]], whereas seeded varieties are grown mainly for their edible seeds.<ref name="kew" /> Breadfruit is usually propagated using [[root cutting]]s.<ref name="ntbg" />

Breadfruit is closely related to the [[Artocarpus camansi|breadnut]].<ref name="ntbg" /> It is similar in appearance to its relative of the same [[genus]], the [[jackfruit]] (''[[Artocarpus heterophyllus]]''). The closely related ''[[Artocarpus camansi]]'' can be distinguished from ''A. altilis'' by having spinier fruits with numerous seeds. ''[[Artocarpus mariannensis]]'' can be distinguished by having dark green, elongated fruits with darker yellow flesh, as well as entire or shallowly lobed leaves.<ref name="Diane Ragone- Breadfruit" />

=== Propagation ===
Breadfruit is [[plant propagation|propagated]] mainly by seeds, though [[seedless fruit|seedless]] breadfruit can be propagated by transplanting [[sucker (botany)|suckers]] that grow off the surface roots of the tree.<ref name="morton" /> The roots can be purposefully injured to induce the growth of suckers, which are then separated from the root and planted in a pot or directly transplanted into the ground.<ref name="morton" /> Pruning also induces sucker growth.<ref name="morton" /> Sucker cuttings are placed in plastic bags containing a mixture of soil, [[peat]], and sand, and kept in the shade while moistened with liquid [[fertilizer]]. When roots are developed, the transplant is put in full sun until time for planting in the orchard.<ref name="morton" />

For large-scale propagation, root cuttings are preferred, using segments about {{convert|2|in|cm|-1|disp=flip|abbr=on}} thick and {{convert|9|in|cm|-1|disp=flip|abbr=on}} long.<ref name="morton" /> Rooting may take up to 5 months to develop, with the young trees ready for planting when they are {{convert|2|ft|cm|-1|disp=flip|abbr=on}} high.<ref name="morton" />

===Etymology and common names===
The term "breadfruit" was first used in the 17th century to describe the bread-like texture of the fruit when baked.<ref name="ntbg"/><ref>{{cite web |title=Breadfruit |url=https://www.oed.com/dictionary/breadfruit_n |publisher=Oxford English Dictionary |access-date=18 November 2023 |year=2023}}</ref> Breadfruit has hundreds of [[variety (botany)|varieties]] and numerous common names varying by its geographic distribution.<ref name="morton" /><ref name="ntbg"/>

== Taxonomy ==
{{See also|Artocarpus camansi|Domesticated plants and animals of Austronesia}}

According to [[DNA fingerprinting]] studies, the seeded wild ancestor of breadfruit is the breadnut (''A.&nbsp;camansi''){{Citation needed|date=July 2025}}, which is native to [[New Guinea]], the [[Maluku Islands]], and the [[Philippines]].<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Jarrett |first1=Frances |title=Studies in Artocarpus and Allied Genera, III. A Revision of Artocarpus Subgenus Artocarpus |journal=Journal of the Arnold Arboretum |date=July 1959 |volume=40 |issue=3 |pages=298–326 |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/43798512 |access-date=27 July 2025 |publisher=JSTOR |doi=10.5962/p.186034 |jstor=43798512 |doi-access=free }}</ref>

''A. camansi'' was domesticated and [[selectively bred]] in Polynesia, giving rise to the mostly seedless ''A.&nbsp;altilis''. Micronesian breadfruit also show evidence of [[Hybridisation (biology)|hybridization]] with the native ''[[Artocarpus mariannensis|A. mariannensis]]'', while most Polynesian and Melanesian cultivars do not. This indicates that Micronesia was initially colonized separately from Polynesia and Melanesia through two different migration events, later coinciding in eastern Micronesia.<ref name="Matisoo-Smith2015" /><ref name="zerega">{{cite journal |author1=Zerega, N. J. C. |author2=Ragone, D. |author3=Motley, T.J. |name-list-style=amp |year=2004 |title=The complex origins of breadfruit (''Artocarpus altilis'', Moraceae): Implications for human migrations in Oceania |journal=American Journal of Botany |volume=91 |issue=5 |pages=760–766 |doi=10.3732/ajb.91.5.760 |pmid=21653430}}</ref><ref name="Diane Ragone- Breadfruit" /><ref name="ragone2" /><ref name="ntbg" /><ref name="kew" />

Breadfruit was one of the [[canoe plants]] spread by [[Austronesian peoples|Austronesian]] voyagers around 3,000 years ago into [[Micronesia]], [[Melanesia]], and [[Polynesia]], where it was not native.<ref name="Matisoo-Smith2015" /><ref name="zerega" /><ref name="Diane Ragone- Breadfruit" /><ref name="ragone2" />

== Distribution and habitat ==
[[File:Chronological dispersal of Austronesian people across the Pacific.svg|thumb|upright=1.3|Extent of the [[Austronesian expansion]] that carried crops like breadfruit, bananas, and [[coconut]]s throughout the [[Indo-Pacific]] islands]]

Breadfruit is an equatorial, lowland species. It has been spread from its Pacific source to many tropical regions.<ref name="Matisoo-Smith2015" /><ref name="morton" />

In 1769, [[Joseph Banks]] was stationed in [[Tahiti]] as part of the {{HMS|Endeavour||2}} expedition commanded by [[Captain James Cook]].<ref name="kew" /><ref name="Anne">{{cite book |last1=Salmond |first1=Anne |url={{google books |plainurl=y |id=Kad7vgAACAAJ|page=190}} |title=Aphrodite's Island |date=2010 |publisher=University of California Press |isbn=9780520261143 |location=Berkeley |pages=190, 197, 307–308}}</ref> The late-18th-century quest for cheap, high-energy food sources for [[slaves]] in British colonies prompted colonial administrators and plantation owners to call for breadfruit to be brought to the Caribbean. As president of the [[Royal Society]], Banks provided a cash bounty and gold medal for success in this endeavor and successfully lobbied for a British Naval expedition. After an unsuccessful voyage to the South Pacific to collect the plants as commander of {{HMS|Bounty}}, in 1791, [[William Bligh]] commanded a second expedition with {{HMS|Providence|1791|2}} and {{HMS|Assistant||2}}, which collected [[seedless]] breadfruit plants in Tahiti and transported these to [[St. Helena]] in the Atlantic and [[Saint Vincent (Antilles)|St.&nbsp;Vincent]] and [[Jamaica]] in the West Indies.<ref name="ntbg" /><ref name="kew" />

The plant grows best below elevations below {{convert|650|m|ft|abbr=on}}, but is found at elevations of {{convert|1550|m|ft|abbr=on}}. Its preferred soils are neutral to [[alkali]]ne ([[Soil pH|pH]] of 6.1&ndash;7.4) and either sand, sandy loam, loam, or sandy clay [[loam]]. Breadfruit is able to grow in [[coral sand]]s and [[Soil salinity|saline soils]]. The breadfruit is ultra-tropical, requiring a temperature range of {{convert|16|-|38|C}} and an annual rainfall of {{Convert|2000-2500|mm|abbr=on|round=5}}.<ref name="morton" />

==Nutrition==
{{nutritional value
| name = Breadfruit, raw
| water = 70.65 g
| kJ = 431
| protein = 1.07 g
| fat = 0.23 g
| carbs = 27.12 g
| fiber = 4.9 g
| sugars = 11 g
| calcium_mg = 17
| iron_mg = 0.54
| magnesium_mg = 25
| phosphorus_mg = 30
| potassium_mg = 490
| sodium_mg = 2
| zinc_mg = 0.12
| manganese_mg = 0.06
| vitC_mg = 29
| thiamin_mg = 0.11
| riboflavin_mg = 0.03
| niacin_mg = 0.9
| pantothenic_mg = 0.457
| vitB6_mg = 0.1
| folate_ug = 14
| choline_mg = 9.8
| lutein_ug = 22
| vitE_mg = 0.1
| vitK_ug = 0.5
| source_usda = 1
| note = [https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/food-details/171714/nutrients Full Link to USDA Database entry]
}}
Breadfruit is 71% water, 27% [[carbohydrate]]s, and 1% [[protein (nutrient)|protein]], and contains negligible fat (table). In a reference amount of {{cvt|100|g|sigfig=2}}, raw breadfruit supplies 103 [[calorie]]s, is a rich source of [[vitamin C]] (32% of the [[Daily Value]], DV), and provides a moderate source of [[potassium]] (16% DV), with no other nutrients in significant content.

== Uses ==
[[File:Fried Bread Fruit.jpg|thumb|upright|Sliced and fried breadfruit]]

===Food===
{{Cookbook}}{{more citations needed|section|date=July 2018}}
Breadfruit is a [[staple food]] in many tropical regions. Most breadfruit varieties produce fruit throughout the year. Both ripe and unripe fruit have culinary uses; unripe breadfruit is cooked before consumption.<ref name="janick">{{cite book |url={{google books |plainurl=y |id=cjHCoMQNkcgC |page=476}} |title=The Encyclopedia of Fruit and Nuts |last1=Janick |first1=Jules |last2=Paull |first2=Robert E. |publisher=CABI |year=2008 |isbn=978-0-85199-638-7 |pages=476}}</ref> Before being eaten, the fruit is roasted, baked, fried, or boiled. When cooked, the taste of moderately ripe breadfruit is described as potato-like, or similar to freshly baked bread.

One breadfruit tree can produce {{convert|450|lb|kg|disp=flip}} each season.<ref>{{cite news |title='Food of the Future' Has One Hitch: It's All But Inedible |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052970203752604576645242121126386 |access-date=6 August 2019 |newspaper=The Wall Street Journal |date=1 November 2011}}</ref> Because breadfruit trees usually produce large crops at certain times of the year, the preservation of harvested fruit is an issue. One traditional preservation technique known throughout Oceania is to bury peeled and washed fruits in a leaf-lined pit, where they [[Fermentation (food)|ferment]] over several weeks and produce a [[List of fermented foods#Fermented fruits and vegetables|sour, sticky paste]].<ref>{{cite journal |title=Breadfruit Fermentation Practices in Oceania|pages=151–64|journal=Journal de la Société des Océanistes |year=1984 |volume=40 |issue=79 |first=Nancy |last=Pollock |doi=10.3406/jso.1984.2544 |url=https://www.persee.fr/doc/jso_0300-953x_1984_num_40_79_2544}}</ref> Stored in this way, the product may endure a year or more. Some pits are reported to have produced edible contents more than 20 years after burial.<ref>{{cite book |url={{google books |plainurl=y |id=4SdXGwAACAAJ}} |title=Plants, People, and Culture: The Science of Ethnobotany |last1=Balick |first1=Michael J. |last2=Cox |first2=Paul Alan |publisher=Scientific American Library |year=1997 |isbn=978-0-7167-6027-6}} {{pn|date=September 2021}}</ref> Remnants of pit-like formations with stone scattered around (presumed to line them) are often clues indicating prehistoric settlement to archaeologists studying precontact history of [[French Polynesia]].<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Kahn |first1=Jennifer G. |last2=Ragone |first2=Diane |title=Identification of Carbonized Breadfruit ( Artocarpus altilis ) Skin: Refining Site Function and Site Specialization in the Society Islands, East Polynesia |journal=Journal of Ethnobiology |date=November 2013 |volume=33 |issue=2 |pages=242–3 |doi=10.2993/0278-0771-33.2.237}}</ref>

In addition to being edible raw, breadfruit can be dried and ground into flour and the seeds can be cooked for consumption.<ref>{{Cite book|author=[[United States Department of the Army]] |title=The Complete Guide to Edible Wild Plants |publisher=[[Skyhorse Publishing]] |year=2009 |isbn=978-1-60239-692-0 |location=New York |pages=33 |language=en-US |oclc=277203364}}</ref>

====Southeast Asia, Pacific Islands and Madagascar====
[[File:Kolo (breadfruit) slices, Philippines.jpg|thumb|Breadfruit (''kolo'') slices to be used for cooking in [[Filipino cuisine]]]]

The seedless breadfruit is found in [[Brunei]], [[Indonesia]], and [[Malaysia]], where it is called {{lang|ms|sukun|i=on}}. It is commonly made into [[fritters]] and eaten as snacks. Breadfruit fritters are sold as local street food.

In the [[Philippines]], breadfruit is known as {{lang|tl|rimas}} in [[Tagalog language|Tagalog]] and {{lang|ceb|kolo}} in the [[Visayan languages]]. It is also called {{lang|ceb|kamansi}} (also spelled {{lang|ceb|camansi}}), along with the closely related ''[[Artocarpus camansi]]'', and the [[endemic]] ''[[Artocarpus blancoi]]'' ({{lang|ceb|tipolo}} or {{lang|tl|antipolo}}). All three species, as well as the closely related [[jackfruit]], are commonly used much in the same way in savory dishes. The immature fruits are most commonly eaten as {{lang|ceb|[[Ginataang langka|ginataang rimas]]}} (cooked with [[coconut milk]]).<ref>{{cite web |title=Kamansi |url=https://www.specialtyproduce.com/produce/Kamansi_13742.php |website=Specialty Produce |access-date=13 January 2019}}</ref><ref name="Diane Ragone- Breadfruit">{{cite journal|last=Ragone|first=Diane|title=''Artocarpus camansi'' (breadfruit), ver.2.1 |journal=Species Profiles for Pacific Island Agroforestry |date=April 2006 |access-date=18 April 2012 |publisher=Permanent Agriculture Resources (PAR) |location=[[Hōlualoa, Hawai‘i]] |editor-last=Elevitch |editor-first=C.R. |url=http://www.agroforestry.net/tti/A.camansi-breadnut.pdf}}</ref><ref name="ragone2">{{cite book |author-last=Ragone |author-first=Diane |editor-last=Elevitch |editor-first=Craig R. |title=Specialty Crops for Pacific Island Agroforestry |chapter=Farm and Forestry Production and Marketing Profile for Breadfruit (''Artocarpus altilis'') |publisher=Permanent Agriculture Resources |location=[[Hōlualoa, Hawai‘i]] |year=2011 |isbn=978-0970254481 |chapter-url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/237250411}}</ref>

In the Hawaiian staple food called {{lang|haw|[[poi (food)|poi]]}}, the traditional ingredient of mashed [[taro]] root can be replaced by, or augmented with, mashed breadfruit ({{lang|haw|{{okina}}ulu}} in [[Hawaiian language|Hawaiian]]). The resulting "breadfruit poi" is called {{lang|haw|poi {{okina}}ulu}}.

====South Asia====

In [[Sri Lanka]], it is cooked as a curry using coconut milk and spices (which becomes a side dish) or boiled. Boiled breadfruit is a famous main meal. It is often consumed with scraped coconut or ''coconut sambol'', made of scraped coconut, red chili powder, and salt mixed with a dash of [[Lime (fruit)|lime]] juice. A traditional sweet snack made of finely sliced, sun-dried breadfruit chips deep-fried in coconut oil and dipped in heated treacle or sugar syrup is known as ''rata del petti''.<ref>Apé Lamā Lōkaya:1950, Chapter 31 (Vijitha Yapa Publications) {{ISBN|978-955-665-250-5}}</ref> In India, [[fritter]]s of breadfruit, called ''jeev kadge phodi'' in [[Konkani language|Konkani]] or ''kadachakka varuthath'' in [[Malayalam]], are a local delicacy in coastal [[Karnataka]] and [[Kerala]]. In [[Seychelles]], it was traditionally eaten as a substitute for rice, as an accompaniment to the mains. It would either be consumed boiled (''friyapen bwi'') or grilled (''friyapen griye''), where it would be put whole in the wood fire used for cooking the main meal and then taken out when ready. It is also eaten as a dessert, called ''ladob friyapen'', where it is boiled in coconut milk, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, and a pinch of salt.

====Caribbean and Latin America====

In [[Belize]], the Mayan people call it ''masapan''. 

In [[Puerto Rico]], breadfruit is called ''panapén'' or ''pana'', for short, although the name ''pana'' is often used to refer to [[Artocarpus camansi|breadnut]], seeds of which have traditionally been boiled, peeled, and eaten whole. In some inland regions, it is also called ''mapén'' and used to make ''[[pasteles]]'' and ''[[alcapurria]]s''. Breadfruit is often served boiled with a mixture of sauteed ''[[Dried and salted cod|bacalao]]'' (salted cod fish), olive oil, and onions, mostly as ''[[tostones]]'' where about 1-inch chunks are fried, lighty flattened, and fried again. ''[[Mofongo]] de panapén'' is fried breadfruit mashed with olive oil, garlic, broth, and ''[[chicharrón]]''.  ''Rellenos de panapén'' is the breadfruit version of ''[[papa rellena]]''. Dipping sauce can be made from boiled, ripe breadfruit, similar to [[chutney]], using spices, sesame seeds, herbs, lentil, coconut milk, and fruit. Both ripe and unripe fruit are boiled together and mashed with milk and butter to make ''[[pastelón|pastelón de panapén]]'', a dish similar to [[lasagna]]. Ripe breadfruit is used in desserts, including  ''[[Flan (pie)|flan]] de pana'' (breadfruit custard). ''[[Cazuela#Puerto_Rican_cazuela|Cazuela]]'' is a crustless pie with ripe breadfruit, spices, raisins, coconut milk, and sweet potatoes. Breadfruit flour is sold all over Puerto Rico and used for making bread, pastries, cookies, pancakes, waffles, crepes, and ''[[almojábana]]''.  

In the [[Dominican Republic]], it is called ''buen pan'' or "good bread". Breadfruit is not popular in Dominican cookery and is used mainly for feeding pigs. 

In [[Barbados]], breadfruit is boiled with salted meat and mashed with butter to make breadfruit coucou. It is usually eaten with saucy meat dishes. 

In [[Haitian cuisine|Haiti]], steamed breadfruit is mashed to make a dish called ''tonmtonm'' which is eaten with a sauce made with okra and other ingredients, such as fish and crab. 

In [[Trinidad and Tobago]], breadfruit is boiled, then fried and eaten with saucy meat dishes like curried duck.

In [[Jamaica]], breadfruit is boiled in soups or roasted on stove top, in the oven or on wood coal. It is eaten with the national dish [[ackee]] and salt fish. The ripe fruit is used in salads or fried as a side dish.

In [[St. Vincent and the Grenadines]], it is eaten boiled in soups, roasted, and fried. Roasted breadfruit, served with fried jackfish, is the country's national dish. The ripe fruit is used as a base to make drinks, cakes, and ice cream.

===Timber and other uses===

Breadfruit was widely used in a variety of ways among [[Pacific Islanders]]. Its lightweight wood ([[specific gravity]] of 0.27)<ref name="CFTH">{{cite web |url=http://www.ctahr.hawaii.edu/forestry/trees/CommonTreesHI/CFT_Artocarpus_altilis.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141030071228/http://www2.ctahr.hawaii.edu/forestry/trees/CommonTreesHI/CFT_Artocarpus_altilis.pdf |archive-date=30 October 2014 |title=ʻUlu, breadfruit |first=Elbert L. Jr. |last=Little |author2=Roger G. Skolmen |publisher=[[United States Forest Service]] |year=1989}}</ref> is resistant to [[termite]]s and [[shipworm]]s, so it is used as timber for structures and [[outrigger canoe]]s.<ref name=ntbg/> Its [[Pulp (paper)|wood pulp]] can also be used to make paper, called breadfruit [[tapa cloth|''tapa'']].<ref name=ntbg/> The wood of the breadfruit tree was one of the most valuable timbers in the construction of traditional houses in [[Architecture of Samoa|Samoan architecture]].

Breadfruit contains [[phytochemical]]s having potential as an [[insect repellent]].<ref>{{cite journal|author1=A. Maxwell P. Jones |author2=Jerome A. Klun |author3=Charles L. Cantrell |author4=Diane Ragone |author5=Kamlesh R. Chauhan |author6=Paula N. Brown |author7=Susan J. Murch  |name-list-style=amp |year=2012|title=Isolation and Identification of Mosquito (Aedes aegypti) Biting Deterrent Fatty Acids from Male Inflorescences of Breadfruit (Artocarpus altilis (Parkinson) Fosberg)|volume=60|issue=15|pages=3867–3873|doi=10.1021/jf300101w|journal=Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry |pmid=22420541|bibcode=2012JAFC...60.3867J }}</ref><ref name="Agricultural-Research-Service">{{cite web|url=https://www.ars.usda.gov/news-events/news/research-news/2013/studies-confirm-breadfruits-ability-to-repel-insects/|title=Studies Confirm Breadfruit's Ability to Repel Insects|publisher=US Department of Agriculture|author=Avant, Susan|date=15 November 2013|access-date=14 June 2016}}</ref> The parts of the fruits that are discarded can be used to feed livestock. The leaves of breadfruit trees can also be browsed by cattle.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Heuzé|first1=V.|last2=Tran|first2=G.|last3=Hassoun|first3=P.|last4=Bastianelli|first4=D.|last5=Lebas|first5=F.|year=2017|title=Breadfruit (Artocarpus altilis)|website=Feedipedia, a programme by INRA, CIRAD, AFZ and FAO|url=https://www.feedipedia.org/node/523}}</ref>

Breadfruit, however, exudes latex upon harvesting, causing the plant sap to adhere to the surface, leading to the staining of the epicarp.  Proper methods of breadfruit harvesting usually include the process of draining the latex and disposing of it.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Siti-Balqis |first1=Zulfigar |last2=Rosma |first2=Ahmad |last3=Kim-Teck |first3=Leow |last4=Ismail |first4=Mohd Nazri |date=1 October 2018 |title=Artocarpus altilis latex polypeptides: An insight into its fibrino(geno)lytic activity |url=https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1878818118303955 |journal=Biocatalysis and Agricultural Biotechnology |volume=16 |pages=467–475 |doi=10.1016/j.bcab.2018.08.013 |issn=1878-8181|url-access=subscription }}</ref> Sticky white sap or latex is present in all parts of the breadfruit tree and has been used for glue, caulk, and even chewing gum.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Traditional Uses |url=https://ntbg.org/breadfruit/about-breadfruit/traditional/ |access-date=2024-09-12 |website=National Tropical Botanical Garden |language=en-US}}</ref> [[Native Hawaiians]] used its sticky [[latex]] to [[Birdlime|trap]] birds, whose [[feather]]s were made into [[Feather cloak|cloaks]].<ref name="morton" /> 

== In culture ==

On [[Puluwat]] in the [[Caroline Islands]], in the context of sacred ''yitang'' lore, breadfruit (''poi'') is a figure of speech for knowledge. This lore is organized into five categories: war, magic, meetings, navigation, and ''breadfruit''.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.jps.auckland.ac.nz/document/Volume_80_1971/Volume_80%2C_No._2/The_Poi_of_the_meeting%2C_by_Saul_H._Riesenberg%2C_p_217_-_227/p1?page=0&action=searchresult&target=|title=The Poi of the Meeting|publisher=Journal of the Polynesian Society, Auckland University|year=1971|first1=Saul H.|last1=Riesenberg |first2=Samuel H. |last2=Elbert|quote= Breadfruit is used here as a figure of speech for knowledge. And the breadfruit of knowledge is contained in all five bowls, even though the names of only three of them include the word for pounded breadfruit, and even though only the last contains knowledge about breadfruit in that word's literal meaning.}}</ref>

According to an [[etiological]] [[Hawaiian mythology|Hawaiian myth]], the breadfruit originated from the sacrifice of the war god [[Kū]]. After deciding to live secretly among mortals as a farmer, Kū married and had children. He and his family lived happily until a famine seized their island. When he could no longer bear to watch his children suffer, Kū told his wife that he could deliver them from starvation, but to do so he would have to leave them. Reluctantly she agreed, and at her word, Kū descended into the ground right where he had stood until only the top of his head was visible. His family waited around the spot he had last been, day and night, watering it with their tears until suddenly, a small green shoot appeared where Kū had stood. Quickly, the shoot grew into a tall and leafy tree that was laden with heavy breadfruits that Kū's family and neighbors gratefully ate, joyfully saved from starvation.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://mauimagazine.net/breadfruit/|title=Breadfruit|publisher=Maui Nō Ka ʻOi Magazine, Haynes Publishing Group|author=Shannon Wianecki|date=May–June 2013|access-date=17 January 2017}}</ref> It also known as a symbol of abundance and famine relief<ref>{{cite web |title=The Importance and Meaning Behind Breadfruit |url=https://www.timberskauai.com/the-importance-and-meaning-behind-breadfruit/ |access-date=23 September 2025 |date=March 22, 2022}}</ref>

Many breadfruit [[Hybrid (biology)#Plant hybrid|hybrids]] and [[cultivar]]s are widely distributed throughout the Pacific though they are seedless or otherwise biologically incapable of naturally dispersing long distances. It is therefore clear that humans aided distribution of the plant in the Pacific, specifically prehistoric groups who colonized the Pacific Islands. To investigate the patterns of human migration throughout the Pacific, scientists have used molecular dating of breadfruit hybrids and cultivars in concert with anthropological data. Results support the west-to-east migration hypothesis, in which the [[Lapita]] people are thought to have traveled from [[Melanesia]] to numerous [[Polynesia]]n islands.<ref name=zerega/>

The world's largest collection of breadfruit varieties was established by botanist Diane Ragone, from over 20 years' travel to 50 Pacific islands, on a {{convert|10|acre|ha|0|disp=flip|adj=on}} plot outside of [[Hana, Hawaii|Hana]], on the isolated east coast of [[Maui]] (Hawaii).<ref name="StelleWolfordHanaHou">{{cite web |url= http://www.hanahou.com/pages/Magazine.asp?Action=DrawArticle&ArticleID=801&MagazineID=51 |title= Tree of Plenty |author1=Julia Steele |author2=photos by Jack Wolford |work= [[Hana Hou!]] |volume=12 |issue= 4 |date= August–September 2009 }}</ref>

==Gallery==
<gallery>
Breadfruit Tree.jpg|A breadfruit tree in [[Honolulu]], Hawaii
Sections of the Bread fruit - Project Gutenberg eText 15411.jpg|Sections of a breadfruit
麵包樹 - 新竹高峰植物園 Artocarpus altilis - Gaofeng Botanical Garden 20221007220123 03.jpg|Form of the buttress root
Artocarpus altilis 麵包樹 20210412100900 01.jpg|Male inflorescence
Artocarpus altilis 麵包樹 20210412100900 02.jpg|Female inflorescence
Artocarpus altilis.jpg|''Artocarpus altilis'' in Hawaii
Breadfruit 4.jpg|alt=Artocarpus altilis|Breadfruit in [[Mangalore]]
Breadfruit-kadachakka.jpg|Breadfruit in [[Kasaragod]]
ARS breadfruit49.jpg|Breadfruit whole, sliced lengthwise, and in {{nowrap|cross-section}}
Characteres generum plantarum plate 51.a Artocarpus.jpg|Breadfruit, named and described in ''[[Characteres generum plantarum]]''&nbsp;(1776)
Breadfruit drawing.jpg|Drawing of breadfruit by [[John Frederick Miller]]
Breadfruit pounder, French Polynesia, Tahitian people, polished basalt, HAA.JPG|A polished [[basalt]] breadfruit pounder
Artocarpus altilis (Hawaii).jpg|''Artocarpus altilis'' ([[Hawaii]])
</gallery>

== See also ==
{{div col|colwidth=30em}}
* [[Artocarpus camansi|Breadnut]] (''Artocarpus camansi'')
* [[Cempedak]] (''Artocarpus integer'')
* [[Jackfruit]] (''Artocarpus heterophyllus'')
* ''[[Treculia]]''—known as African breadfruit
{{div col end}}

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
{{Commons category|Artocarpus altilis|''Artocarpus altilis''}}
{{Wikispecies|Artocarpus altilis|''Artocarpus altilis''}}
* {{cite EB9 |wstitle = Bread-Fruit |volume= IV | pages=241–242 |short=1}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20080517081548/http://www.breadfruit.org/ Breadfruit Institute]

{{Nuts}}
{{Non-timber forest products}}
{{Taxonbar|from=Q14677}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Artocarpus]]
[[Category:Crops originating from Asia]]
[[Category:Crops originating from the Pacific]]
[[Category:Edible fruits]]
[[Category:Flora of Malesia]]
[[Category:Flora of Melanesia]]
[[Category:Flora of Papuasia]]
[[Category:Flora of Polynesia]]
[[Category:Flora of the Southwestern Pacific]]
[[Category:Fruit trees]]
[[Category:Cuisine of Hawaii]]
[[Category:Jamaican cuisine]]
[[Category:Malagasy cuisine]]
[[Category:Oceanian cuisine]]
[[Category:Polynesian cuisine]]
[[Category:Staple foods]]
[[Category:Tropical agriculture]]
[[Category:Tropical fruit]]
[[Category:Anguillian cuisine]]
[[Category:Barbadian cuisine]]
[[Category:Belizean cuisine]]
[[Category:Austronesian agriculture]]