How do you tell when a pineapple is ripe and tasty? Many of us have experienced the rapidly deteriorating pineapple or the under ripe pineapple. If you want to get it right, there are some little tricks guaranteed to help you choose the right pineapple each time.
1. Be alert for two key elements of a ripe pineapple: freshness and deterioration. You are looking for a fresh pineapple, not a rotting one. The stem is the area of the pineapple that feeds sugar to the fruit. It is from here that the pineapple changes color.
2. Look at the pineapple. It should reflect a golden yellow color. The minimum area for this should be on the eyes at the base of the fruit. Never purchase a pineapple that is fully green as it will not ripen well. The higher the color rises up the pineapple, the sweeter it will be. (Be aware that some pineapples are considered to be ripe when green. This is the claim of those promoting them; you will be the judge by testing them when green. The varieties that claim this include the Central American pineapple and some Hawaiian pineapples.)
3. Smell the pineapple. If it smells sweet, then it's ready. If it has no scent, it's not ripe. If it smells fermented, it's overripe!
4. Touch the pineapple gently. It should be firm to a gentle press and only yield slightly. If it's soft or spongy, don't buy it.
5. Beware the myth! It is an urban myth that a pineapple is ripe when a leaf can be removed from the crown easily. It is proof of nothing in terms of ripeness. If a leaf does come out easily, the pineapple is rotten (which should be evident already) and if you can pick the scales off a pineapple, that's a bad sign because it means that the interior has gone soft, and will be sour and unpleasant.
6. Don't buy or eat a deteriorating pineapple. A deteriorating pineapple will be a reddish, bronze color or it may even be green. It will smell as if it is fermenting, like vinegar. It will also be mushy when pushed gently and it will likely have wrinkled skin. Other clear indications include mold, oozing sticky juices, cracks in the skin and leaves turning brown and dropping off. It's only good for the compost heap at this stage. (Avoid any pineapple that appears bruised or withered or has browning leaves.)
However, should we consider buying canned pineapple in supermarket where they have selected the best quality for their customer?
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