The fruit of the baobab contains six times more vitamin C than oranges and twice as much calcium as milk. Europeans will apparently consume the fruit as smoothies or in cereal bars.

The leaves can be eaten as a relish and the fruit dissolved in milk or water and used as a drink. The fruit, bark and leaves of the tree are used to treat medical problems including fevers and kidney disease.

However, consumers in the European Union will only experience the benefits of the fruit through the pulp, which will be removed from the fruit and used as an ingredient in other food stuffs.

The non-profit trade association which has been lobbying for the EU approval, PhytoTrade Africa, hopes the demand for the fruit will mean employment for millions of African people.

[15 Jul 2008 16:09]

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