acajé

Acajé is a term that primarily refers to the fruit of the cashew tree, Anacardium occidentale. This tropical evergreen tree is native to northeastern Brazil but is now cultivated in many tropical regions worldwide. The cashew tree produces two distinct products: the cashew apple and the cashew nut. The cashew apple, often referred to as the acajé, is a fleshy, pear-shaped or bell-shaped accessory fruit that is brightly colored, ranging from yellow to red. It is edible and has a sweet, slightly tart, and astringent flavor. The acajé is rich in vitamin C and is consumed fresh, juiced, or used in preserves and alcoholic beverages.

While the acajé is the fruit, it is botanically a pseudo-fruit, as it develops from the receptacle of the flower rather than the ovary. The true fruit is the kidney-shaped cashew nut, which grows attached to the end of the cashew apple. This nut is encased in a double shell containing a caustic oil that must be carefully removed during processing before the nut can be consumed. Despite the acajé's nutritional value and pleasant taste, it is less commercially known and traded globally than the cashew nut. Its perishable nature and astringency also present challenges for widespread distribution. The term "acajé" is most commonly used in Brazil and Portuguese-speaking countries.