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Castanha de Barú
Brazil
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The baru is a native plant of the Cerrado and Mata areas in central Brazil. Most of the central area of the country is covered by cerrado, a typical kind of vegetation including tree and bush formations that are especially resistant to a dry climate. In Brazil the typical cerrado vegetation forms a biome similar to Australia and the African savannahs, with even more diverse, lush and expressive flora.
The baruzeiro is a large, treelike leguminous plant (Dipteryx alata Vox). Its fruit ripens between September and October and contains a kernel with a pleasant, delicate flavour, known as castanha de Barú.
The forest areas of the cerrado have been transformed into farmlands following the introduction of cereal monocultures and despite the fact that laws regarding protection and preservation of the environment do protect this species, the baru is threatened with extinction.
Moreover, as the wood of the baru tree is used in the building sector its survival is also threatened due to extraction for trade purposes.
The castanha de baru, when roasted, has a similar flavour to the peanut or cashew. It is high in nutritional value and contains about 26% protein. It can be eaten whole or used in recipes for typical sweets like Pé-de-moleque and Paçoquinha, both based on rappadura (unrefined cane sugar loaves), condensed milk and roasted casthanas.
The baru can be preserved in nature because if the castanha is properly stored and preserved its physical-chemical properties will remain unchanged for about three years. Despite its nutritional and organoleptic features there is no trade in baru flesh.
A fine quality oil is extracted from the castanha de baru for use as a flavouring or as an antirheumatic. Despite its properties and features, the oil is not extensively sold on the local market. The baru tree is also used in reforestation projects because it grows quickly, with very resistant wood of excellent quality.
Along with other fruit trees native to the cerrado biome, it is the subject of studies, research and experiments developed by the EMBRAPA (Centro de Pesquisa Agropecuáriasdo Cerrado).
In the state of Goiás which surrounds Brasilia and its Federal District, a few communities produce and sell castanha de baru and in some towns it has been adopted into the school meal programme. At Pirenópolis the castanha is mainly consumed by the rural population, especially children, who often lie in the shade of the trees.
The Pirenópolis area has pioneered the commercial exploitation of the barú and has historical links to the species. In the last ten years this municipality has activated projects for the protection and promotion of barú, the most important of which was carried out by the CENESC in 2003, when it organized a training programme in seven local municipalities (Caxambu, Santo Antônio, Lagolândia, Placa, Malhador, Bom Jesus and Marilândia) for sustainable gathering of the castanha de baru. Around 150 families took part and 200 families are currently involved in picking castanha de Barú in Pirenópolis today.
In 1998 a recipe book was published in Pirenópolis for typical dishes based on castanha de Barú and other typical fruits from the Cerrado biome. Starting in 2006 the promotional Barú Fair will be held in this municipality.
Area of production:
The state of Goiás and the Pirenópolis area
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