I don't allow you to not know this way to eat pineapple without pricking your mouth (not soaking in salt water)

It’s the season to show off pineapples again! Do you think pineapples are super large fruits? In fact, pineapples are not a big fruit, but are made up of many seedless small fruits arranged in a spiral. Each pineapple has 100 to 200 small fruits that are directly connected to the central core and finally form the big pineapple we see.

Image source: Reference [1]

Among fruits, the sweet taste of pineapple is quite popular. Not only can the pineapple flesh be eaten, but even the pineapple skin is not wasted and can be used as a container for food, which has a unique flavor!

What is the relationship between pineapple and pineapple?

The debate about whether pineapple and pineapple are the same fruit has been going on for a long time and has never stopped.

In fact, pineapple and pineapple are the same kind of fruit. Pineapple is a plant of the Bromeliaceae family, also known as pineapple, just like potatoes and potatoes, tomatoes and tomatoes, okra and lady's fingers, guava and guava.

Many people may say: "The pineapples and pineapples on the market are different. Pineapples have thorns and prick your hands, and you have to soak them in salt water; pineapples have no thorns, have thin skin, and you don't need to dig out the eyes, and you can eat them without soaking them in salt water."

The reason for this difference is directly related to the variety of pineapple. There are about 70 cultivated varieties of pineapple, which are divided into four categories: Caine, Queen, Spanish and hybrid according to their morphology, leaf thorns and fruit characteristics.

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You can understand it this way: pineapple is pineapple, and pineapple is pineapple. It's just that the "pineapple" people talk about is a different member of the pineapple family, and it tastes better.

Why does eating pineapple make your mouth prickly?

Although pineapples are sweet and delicious, it is okay to eat a little. If you eat a few more bites, you will feel a sting in your mouth and teeth. Why is this?

1

Calcium oxalate needles

The flesh of pineapple contains calcium oxalate needle crystals, which are needle-shaped or long spindle-shaped with sharp ends. So we often feel a little "prickly" when eating pineapple.

2

Bromelain

Bromelain is a proteolytic enzyme found in pineapple plants. This protease is not a single component, but a variety of enzymes composed of enzymes of different molecular weights and molecular structures. It belongs to the class of sulfhydryl proteases. This protease can damage structures such as the gums and oral mucosa, causing us discomfort.

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In other words, "while you are eating pineapple, pineapple is also eating you." It is precisely because pineapple contains bromelain that it is often regarded as a "natural meat tenderizer."

Bromelain can also cause some people to be allergic to pineapples, causing symptoms such as diarrhea, vomiting, itching all over the body, numbness in the limbs, mouth and tongue, and even difficulty breathing, shock and other reactions.

Why are some pineapples not “pungent”?

People often say, "Pineapples prick your mouth, but pineapples don't." In fact, whether pineapples prick your mouth or not depends on the activity of bromelain in the flesh of different varieties of pineapples.

Some researchers compared the differences in bromelain activity in six varieties of pineapples, including Bali, Cain, Golden Diamond, Tainong No. 16, Yuecui, and Xiangshui, during the same growth period. The results showed that the enzyme activity of Bali pineapple was the lowest, and the corresponding taste was the best, and it could be eaten without soaking in salt water; the enzyme activity of Cain pineapple was the highest, and it was almost inedible without processing, so it was generally processed into cans before being eaten.

What should I do if a pineapple pricks my mouth?

There are many ways to solve the problem of pineapple pricking your mouth.

1

Cooking

You can make grilled pineapple or pineapple fried rice, or pineapple sweet and sour pork, because bromelain will be inactivated when exposed to heat, and its optimum temperature is around 40°C. Too high or too low a temperature will affect the activity of bromelain. Don't worry too much about nutritional loss, after all, the content of heat-sensitive vitamin C and B vitamins in pineapple is not high, and you can supplement them by eating other foods.

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2

Hot water soak

Cut the pineapple into pieces and soak them directly in boiling water for a few minutes, because hot water can inactivate bromelain and dissolve calcium oxalate crystals.

3

Salt water soaking (somewhat useful, but not recommended)

Soaking pineapples in salt water can alleviate the problem of pineapples pricking your mouth to a certain extent, but in fact, sprinkling less salt will not have much effect. The saltiness of salt can reduce bitterness and enhance sweetness, which can alleviate the discomfort of eating pineapples to a certain extent.

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However, some studies have shown that the best way to soak pineapples is with a 7% sodium chloride solution for 10 minutes. To prepare a 7% sodium chloride solution, you need to add 35-40g of salt to 500mL of water. This salt content is not low. If you soak pineapples in it, not only will it taste salty, it may also be unfriendly to blood pressure.

Buy ripe pineapples

When buying pineapples, you must buy fresh and relatively ripe ones. This is because pineapples are non-climacteric fruits. If the pineapples you buy are not fully ripe, they will not ripen themselves after you get home. Even if they are placed together with ripe apples and bananas, they will not ripen further, but the texture will still become soft. The content of sugars and flavor substances will not continue to increase, and the taste will not be good.

In fact, the pineapples we eat are not the sweetest. They may only be half as sweet as the original pineapples. Because pineapples are transported over long distances, they are usually harvested early, so they have less sugar and are not as sweet as expected.

When choosing pineapples, choose those with lush leaves, upright leaves, fresh fruits, and a heavy feel. At the same time, press them lightly with your fingers and choose those that are slightly soft and elastic. Such pineapples are mostly mature.

Summarize

Pineapple has a unique aroma and a sweet taste. If you are worried about pricking your mouth when eating pineapple, you can grill the pineapple or choose Bali pineapple. For those who like to grow some flowers and plants, don't throw away the tail of the pineapple. Find a container and add some water. It looks pretty good when grown, but it is a bit prickly.

References

[1]Comprehensive tissue-specific transcriptome profiling of pineapple (Ananas comosus) and building an eFP-browser for further study [PeerJ]

[2] Yan Chengming, Zhang Jiangzhou, Liu Yanan, Ma Haiyang, Shi Weiqi. Comparison and analysis of fruit quality of five pineapple varieties[J]. Guangdong Agricultural Sciences, 2012, 39(19): 42-44

[3] Liang Yinhao, Yang Shaohui, Chen Wensheng, Lin Xiaona, Su Lizhi, Wen Zhihua. Comparative study on the introduction of 'Jinzuan 17 pineapple' and 'Bali pineapple'[J]. Chinese Horticultural Abstracts, 2018, 34(6): 34-3542

[4] Yang Yuexin. Chinese Food Composition Table 6th Edition Volume 1[M]. Peking University Medical Press, 2018

[5]David G,Gardner DDS,MSD.Injury to the oral mucous membranes caused by the common houseplant, dieffenbachia: A review[J].Oral Surgery,Oral Medicine,Oral Pathology.1994,78(5):631-633.

[6]Gary ​​G.Coté. Diversity and distribution of idioblasts producing calcium oxalate crystals in Dieffenbachia seguine (Araceae)[J].American Journal of Botany.2009,96(7):1245-1254.

[7] Ding Fang, Wu Yan. Application of calcium oxalate crystals in microscopic identification of several traditional Chinese medicines[J]. Guangdong Sericulture, 2017, 51(7): 10-10

[8] Di Di, Zhou Yongxin, Zhang Xinye, Yang Caiyun. Exploring the conditions that affect bromelain activity[J]. Bulletin of Biology, 2020, 55(11): 58-60

[9] Han Zhiping, Huang Maofang, Xu Kui, Jing Wei, Cao Yupo. Analysis of differences in proteases and other components in pineapple among varieties [J]. Natural Product Research and Development, 2011, 23(2): 320-323.

Planning and production

Author: Xue Qingxin, registered nutritionist

Review | Ruan Guangfeng, Deputy Director of Kexin Food and Health Information Exchange Center

Planning丨Fu Sijia

Editor: Fu Sijia

Proofread by Xu Lailinlin