Brazil produces the first carob seedlings based on a UFPR study

Jéssica Tokarski//Sucom UFPR Brazil is the country with the greatest diversity of trees on the planet, in its territory there are 8,715 species of trees, which corresponds to 14% of the existing ones in the world. Until recently, this percentage did not include a leafy species about ten meters tall, with a brown, irregular trunk — with a smooth bark and with some protrusions — the carob tree (Ceratonia siliqua). With perennial leaves, which remain throughout the year, the tree usually blooms once a year, between August and October, and its fruits, a type of pod that measures between ten and 25 centimeters, are the source of a food rich in fiber, already known to replace chocolate in low calorie diets and for individuals with food sensitivities or allergies. Carob, the fruit of this plant typical of the Mediterranean region — widely spread across Africa and Europe — can reach Brazilians' daily lives more quickly and cheaply in a short time and make life easier for individuals with ...