Hi All,

As you know we have started other Did You Know Series, fruit facts. Today we will talk about Pineapple facts. The pineapple (Ananas comosus) is a tropical plant with edible fruit and the most economically significant plant in the family Bromeliaceae. The pineapple is indigenous to South America, where it has been cultivated for many centuries. The introduction of the pineapple to Europe in the 17th century made it a significant cultural icon of luxury. So let’s start in brief

Did you know these facts about pineapple?

• The pineapple plant is a tropical fruit that is indigenous to South America. Originally coming from the region between southern Brazil and Paraguay.
• The pineapple spread throughout South America, the Caribbean, Central America, and Mexico, where it used to be cultivated through the Mayas and the Aztecs. Columbus came across the pineapple in 1493 and took it returned to Europe.
• The phrase ‘pineapple’ was recorded in 1398 to describe ‘pine cones’. It was not until 1694 that pine cones were first called pine cones. On arrival to the Americas, European explorers known as the tropical fruit pineapples around 1664 because they resembled the pine cone.
• An individual pineapple can take over two years to grow, although they are usually picked slightly earlier than this.
• The most well-known pineapple entrepreneur was James Dole who moved to Hawaii and started a pineapple plantation in 1900, simply after John Kidwell first brought a pineapple industry to Hawaii. ‘Dole’ is still a major company in the pineapple industry today.
• The top of a pineapple, after cleaning and drying, can be planted in soil and a new plant will grow.
• When developing its fruit the pineapple plant produces over 200 flowers various in color from lavender, thru to mild crimson and red. The individual scale-like fruits of these plants then join together to create the pineapple.
• The individual fruit segments of a pineapple interlock in two helices, 8 in one direction, 13 in the other, each of which is a Fibonacci number.
• Pineapple flesh and juice are used in many cuisines throughout the world, it is frequently cooked, eaten raw, or canned in its juices as chunks or cored slices. It is a usually used fruit for fruit salads and eaten with dairy desserts such as ice cream and yogurt. It is also used in Asian stir-fries such as sweet and sour pork or as a topping on pizzas such as the Hawaiian pizza.
• Most tropical countries promote pineapple on roadsides as a snack either whole or halved. Pineapple juice is also a famous tropical drink and it is the fundamental ingredient in the Piña colada cocktail.
• The skins, core, and ends of pineapple are not discarded in pineapple canneries however instead used to make a variety of products such as vinegar, alcohol, and animal food.
• Raw pineapple can be a wonderful supply of manganese and diet C. Also bromelain is an enzyme that breaks down protein and is existing in raw pineapple making the fruit beneficial as a digestive aid and a superb anti-inflammatory.
• High bromelain content additionally makes raw pineapple juice helpful as a meat marinade and tenderizer.
• As of 2009, the Southeast Asian countries of the Philippines and Thailand have been the top two producers of pineapple in the world followed by Costa Rica.