bixa orellana, or annatto

[lola]

So I work in toxicology, and this evening I got a call about an old guy who was worried about a med he had bought over the counter in Guatemala.
Active ingredient: La semilla de achiote.
Or Annatto. or, to my delight, bixa orellana. I'd forgotten that.
Impression: Nontoxic, and old guy needs to find out what else is ailing him.

NATIVE TO THE TROPICS, GROWN IN SOUTHERN FLORIDA.
USES: THE ARILS OF THE SEEDS ARE THE SOURCE OF THE DYE ANNATTO.
ANNATTO CONTAINS BIXIN AND SEVERAL YELLOW TO ORANGE-RED PIGMENTS
WHICH GIVE CAROTENE REACTION. ANNATTO DYE WAS A MAJOR SOURCE OF BODY PAINT FOR INDIANS OF THE TROPICS AND IS NOW USED AS A COLORANT ESPECIALLY IN CHEESE, BUTTER, MARGARINE, WOOD STAINS, VARNISHES AND SILK.

[bixaorellana]

Like my sweet self, it's a prickly outer shell protecting hard, but colorful insides. ;D

That's interesting, Lola. I never knew it had medicinal uses, so looked it up.

This site, although it doesn't know how to write Latin binomials, says:
Achiote - Annato - Bixa Orellana. Achiote in addition to be a delicious ingredient in Mexican food Mayan recipes, Achiote is used to treat prostate and liver disease problems. Achiote is also good for the digestive system, astringent, cancer, coloring, diabetes, kidney and as a parasiticide.

More scientific info here, plus a spice paste recipe & how to use annato as a dye.

[tod2]

Aha! So that's where your name comes from Bixa - I have always been puzzled by it ;D

[Deleted]

We usually just call her "the dried seed pod." ;D