Chempedak (Artocarpus integer) is a seasonal fruit that is native
to Southeast Asia and belongs to the family of Moraceae. The fruit
is round in shape with length and diameter measure about 20–
35 cm 10–15 cm, respectively. The outer skin of the fruit is
slightly sticky and need to be cut open in order to expose the edible
part inside the fruit. This edible part consists of pulp coated seeds
which are orange-yellow in colour. The pulps can be consumed
immediately while the raw seeds need to be cooked before consumption
by boiling in hot water. The nutritional values of the
pulps, based on dry weight basis (per 100 g serving), are approximately:
3.5–7.0 g of protein, 84.0–87.0 g of carbohydrates, 5.0–
6.0 g of fiber, and 2.0–4.0 g of ash (Suranant, 2001). It is one of
the under-exploited tropical fruits, as reported by the Rural Industries
Research and Development Corporation (RIRDC). However,
chempedak cultivation and consumption has increased substantially
due to its nutritional value, delicacy and flavor. The negative
aspects of chempedak are short shelf life, unstable market price
and over production. However, these limitations could be overcome
by processing it into dried fruit.