EGG FRUIT (Pautaria campechiana), belonging to the familysapotaceae, is a large, symmetrical, bushy, much branched, evergreen tree.

The crop is indigenous to Malaysia and is also found in the western ghats of South India and the tropical regions of South-east Asia. The tree reaches a height of 20-30 feet.

The leaves are compound, large, leathery, 10-15 inches long and 3 inches broad. The flowers are medium sized borne on terminal and auxiliary inflorescence.

The fruits are yellowish to orange with somewhat meaty pulp similar in appearance and texture to a cooked egg yolk embedded often with a single large seed. At maturity, the strong odour of the pulp is musky and the skin colour turns from glossy to dull.

The fruits should be harvested from the tree after maturity.

The taste of the fruit is unique, rich, sweet and highly nutritive with about 2000 IU/100g of carotene, a precursor of vitamin A.

It is also a good source of protein and vitamin C with 2.5 per cent and 43 mg/100 g respectively. Egg fruit thrives well in tropical and subtropical climates.

URL: http://www.thehindu.com/seta/2004/02/26/stories/2004022600381500.htm