PANDANUS CONOIDEUS FROM PAPUA

Pandanus conoideus is a plant in the pandan family. Its fruit is eaten in Papua, Indonesia. Papuans call them kuansu. Indonesians call them buah merah ("red fruit"). The fruit is typically prepared by splitting it, wrapping it in leaves, and cooking it in an earth oven

It grows in all Papua regions, especially in Jayawijaya mountain area (Wamena and Tolikara), Jayapura, Manokwari, Nabire, Timika, and Ayamaru Sorong. It is traditionally believed to be a good supplement as a skin and eye medicine, and as worm treatment.

There are around 30 cultivars of Red Fruit, but only four variants have high economy values: merah panjang (long red), merah pandek (short red), cokelot (brown), and kummiming (yellow). The Red Fruit variant used as medicine is merah panjang (long red). The size is around 100 cm in length, 18 cm in diameter length, and 7.5 kg in weight. The fruit has a blunt edge and cylindrical shape.

Fruits of the pandanus family have specific characteristics that distinguish them from other fruits, including their very concentrated red color, indicating that the fruits are rich in beta carotene.

Native highlanders in Papua New Guinea call it Marata fruit and make a red sauce out of it which is called marita sauce. Marita sauce is a ketchup-like substance which is used to flavor food.