ST ANN, Jamaica — Chief Medical Officer for St Ann, Dr Deborah Weir has called on residents to be cautious when purchasing or cooking ackees after four suspected cases of ackee poisoning in the parish recently.

OBSERVER ONLINE has learnt that one of three members a Brown’s Town family died after they were all taken to the hospital for treatment for suspected ackee poisoning late last month.

During the monthly sitting of the St Ann Municipal Corporation yesterday, Dr Weir said, in the cooler months of the year there are usually more cases of ackee poisoning.

With the recent suspected cases, she called on residents to exercise caution when buying or preparing ackees.

She said the health department has been engaging communities and vendors, warning them of the dangers of picking and selling or eating the fruit before it is ready to be consumed.

Yesterday, the St Ann Health Department issued a number of guidelines.

The department warns that the ackee should be opened like a wide yawn when picked. The fruit should be easily removed from the pods and should be without blemishes such as razor or knife marks. The fruit should be cleaned to remove the seed and pink or reddish membrane. Ackees should be cooked and drained before being combined with other foods.

“The ackee should be cooked by itself and the water poured off,” Dr Weir warned.

People are also warned to buy ackees from reputable sources.

Symptoms of ackee poisoning include vomiting and other symptoms of gastroenteritis.  The hypoglycin in ackees also causes the blood sugar level to drop.

Renae Dixon