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Main page Pineapple
Contents From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Current events For other uses, see Pineapple (disambiguation).
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Pineapple (Ananas comosus) is the common name for an edible tropical plant and also its fruit.[1] It is
Pineapple
search native to Paraguay and the southern part of Brazil.[2] Pineapple is eaten fresh or canned and is available as a
juice or in juice combinations. It is used in desserts, salads, as a complement to meat dishes and in fruit
cocktail. While sweet, it is known for its high acid content (perhaps malic and/or citric). Pineapples are the
Go   Search only bromeliad fruit in widespread cultivation. It is one of the most commercially important plants which carry
interaction out CAM photosynthesis.
About Wikipedia Contents [hide]
Community portal
1 Etymology
Recent changes
Contact Wikipedia 2 Botany
Donate to Wikipedia 3 Pollination
Help 4 Nutrition
5 History
toolbox
6 Cultivation
What links here
6.1 Cultivars
Related changes
7 Ethno-medical usage A pineapple, on its parent plant
Upload file
Special pages 8 Pests and diseases Scientific classification
Printable version 9 Storage and transport
Kingdom: Plantae
Permanent link 10 Usage in culture
(unranked): Angiosperms
Cite this page 11 See also
12 References (unranked): Monocots
languages
13 Further reading (unranked): Commelinids
Aymar aru 14 External links Order: Poales
Azәrbaycan Family: Bromeliaceae
Etymology
Subfamily: Bromelioideae
Bân-lâm-gú
The word pineapple in English was first recorded in 1398, Genus: Ananas
Bosanski when it was originally used to describe the reproductive Species: A. comosus
Български organs of conifer trees (now termed pine cones). When
Català
Binomial name
European explorers discovered this tropical fruit, they called
Česky Ananas comosus
them pineapples (term first recorded in that sense in 1664)
Dansk (L.) Merr.
because of their resemblance to what is now known as the
Deutsch
pine cone. The term pine cone was first recorded in 1694 Synonyms

Ελληνικά and was used to replace the original meaning of pineapple.[3] Ananas sativus
Español In the scientific binomial Ananas comosus, ananas, the
Esperanto
original name of the fruit, comes from the Tupi (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) word for pine nanas, as
recorded by André Thevenet in 1555 and comosus means "tufted" and refers to the stem of the
Français
Galego
fruit. Other members of the Ananas genus are often called pine as well by laymen.
Pineapple and its cross section
한국어 Many languages use the Tupian term ananas. In Spanish, pineapples are called piña "pine cone"
Hornjoserbsce in Spain and most Hispanic American countries, or ananá (ananás in Argentina) (see the piña colada drink). They have varying names in the
Hrvatski languages of India: "Anaasa" ( ) in telugu, annachi pazham (Tamil), anarosh (Bengali), and in Malayalam, kaitha chakka. In Malay,
Ido
pineapples are known as "nanas" or "nenas". In the Maldivian language of Dhivehi, pineapples are known as alanaasi. A large, sweet pineapple
Bahasa Indonesia
grown especially in Brazil is called abacaxi [abakaˈʃiː].
Íslenska
Italiano
Botany
Kreyòl ayisyen
Latina The pineapple is a herbaceous perennial plant which grows to 1.0 to 1.5 metres (3.3 to 4.9 ft) tall with 30 or 
Lietuvių more trough-shaped and pointed leaves 30 to 100 centimetres (1.0 to 3.3 ft) long, surrounding a thick stem.
Magyar The pineapple is an example of a multiple fruit: multiple, helically-arranged flowers along the axis each
produce a fleshy fruit that becomes pressed against the fruits of adjacent flowers, forming what appears to be
Bahasa Melayu a single fleshy fruit.
Nāhuatl
Nederlands
The fruit of a pineapple are arranged in two interlocking helices, eight in one direction, thirteen in the other,
each being a Fibonacci number.[4]
Polski The leaves of the cultivar 'Smooth Cayenne' mostly lack spines except at the leaf tip, but the cultivars A pineapple flower in Iriomote,
Português
'Spanish' and 'Queen' have large spines along the leaf margins.[citation needed] Japan
Runa Simi
Română
Русский
Pollination
Shqip
The natural (or most common) pollinator of the pineapple is the hummingbird.[citation needed] Pollination is required for seed formation; the
presence of seeds negatively affects the quality of the fruit. In Hawaii, where pineapple is cultivated on an agricultural scale, importation of
Simple English
Slovenčina hummingbirds is prohibited for this reason.[5]
Slovenščina Certain bat-pollinated wild pineapples, members of the bromeliad family, do the exact opposite of most flowers by opening their flowers at night
Српски / Srpski and closing them during the day.
Basa Sunda
Suomi
Nutrition
Svenska
Tagalog
Pineapple contains a proteolytic enzyme bromelain, which
Pineapple, raw
breaks down protein. Pineapple juice can thus be used as a
Nutritional value per 100 g (3.5 oz)
lea faka-Tonga
marinade and tenderizer for meat. The enzymes in raw
pineapples can interfere with the preparation of some foods, Energy 50 kcal   200 kJ
Türkçe
Українська such as jelly or other gelatin-based desserts. The bromelain Carbohydrates     12.63 g
breaks down in cooking or the canning process, thus canned - Sugars  9.26 g
pineapple can generally be used with gelatin. These enzymes - Dietary fiber  1.4 g  
Fat 0.12 g
can be hazardous to someone suffering from certain protein
A basket of pineapples displayed Protein 0.54 g
deficiencies or disorders, such as Ehlers-Danlos syndrome.
in a Singapore supermarket. Thiamine (Vit. B1)  0.079 mg   6%
[citation needed]
Raw pineapples also should not be consumed by Riboflavin (Vit. B2)  0.031 mg   2%
those with hemophilia or by those with kidney or liver disease, Niacin (Vit. B3)  0.489 mg   3%
as it may reduce the time taken to coagulate a consumer's blood.[citation needed] Pantothenic acid (B5)  0.205 mg 4%
Consumers of pineapple have claimed that pineapple has benefits for some intestinal disorders and Vitamin B6  0.110 mg 8%
[6] Folate (Vit. B9)  15 μg  4%
others believe it serves as a pain reliever; others claim that it helps to induce childbirth when a
Vitamin C  36.2 mg 60%
baby is overdue.[7] Calcium  13 mg 1%
Pineapple is a good source of manganese (91 %DV in a 1 cup serving), as well as containing  Iron  0.28 mg 2%
significant amounts of Vitamin C (94 %DV in a 1 cup serving) and Vitamin B1 (8 %DV in a 1 cup  Magnesium  12 mg 3% 

serving).[8] Phosphorus  8 mg 1%
Potassium  115 mg   2%
Zinc  0.10 mg 1%
History
Percentages are relative to US
The natives of southern Brazil and Paraguay spread the pineapple throughout South America, and it recommendations for adults.
Source: USDA Nutrient database
eventually reached the Caribbean. Columbus discovered it in the Indies and brought it back with him
to Europe.[2] The Spanish introduced it into the Philippines, Hawaii (introduced in the early 19th
century, first commercial plantation 1886), Zimbabwe and Guam. The fruit was cultivated successfully in
European hothouses, and pineapple pits, beginning in 1720. Commonly grown cultivars include 'Red Spanish',
'Hilo', 'Smooth Cayenne', 'St. Michael', 'Kona Sugarloaf', 'Natal Queen', and 'Pernambuco'.

The pineapple was introduced to Hawaii in 1813; exports of canned pineapples began in 1892.[9] Large scale
pineapple cultivation by U.S. companies began in the early 1900s on Hawaii. Among the most famous and
influential pineapple industrialists was James Dole, who started a pineapple plantation in Hawaii in the year
1900.[9] The companies Dole and Del Monte began growing pineapple on the island of Oahu in 1901 and
1917, respectively. Maui Pineapple Company began pineapple cultivation on the island of Maui in 1909. In Charles II presented with the first
2006, Del Monte announced its withdrawal from pineapple cultivation in Hawaii, leaving only Dole and Maui pineapple grown in England (1675
Pineapple Company in Hawaii as the USA’s largest growers of pineapples. Maui Pineapple Company markets painting by Hendrik Danckerts)
its Maui Gold brand of pineapple and Dole markets its Hawaii Gold brand of pineapple.
In the USA in 1986, the Pineapple Research Institute was dissolved and its assets were divided between Del Monte and Maui Land and
Pineapple. Del Monte took 73-114, which it dubbed MD-2, to its plantations in Costa Rica, found it to be well-suited to growing there, and
launched it publicly in 1996. (Del Monte also began marketing 73-50, dubbed CO-2, as Del Monte Gold). In 1997, Del Monte began marketing its
Gold Extra Sweet pineapple, known internally as MD-2. MD-2 is a hybrid that originated in the breeding program of the now-defunct Pineapple
Research Institute in Hawaii, which conducted research on behalf of Del Monte, Maui Land & Pineapple Company, and Dole.

Cultivation
Southeast Asia dominates world production: in 2001 Thailand produced 1.979 million tons, the Philippines
1.618 million tons while in the Americas, Brazil 1.43 million tons. Total world production in 2001 was 14.220
million tons. The primary exporters of fresh pineapples in 2001 were Costa Rica, 322,000 tons; Côte d'Ivoire,
188,000 tons; and the Philippines, 135,000 tons.
At one time, most canned and fresh pineapples came from the cultivar
'Smooth Cayenne'. Since about 2000, the most common fresh pineapple
fruit found in U.S. and European supermarkets is a low-acid hybrid that
was developed in Hawaii in the early 1970s.
A pineapple field in Veracruz,
In commercial farming, flowering can be induced artificially, and the early Mexico
harvesting of the main fruit can encourage the development of a second
crop of smaller fruits. Once removed during cleaning, the top of the pineapple can be planted in soil and a new
fruit-bearing plant will grow in a manner similar to that of a potato or onion, which will sprout from a cutting.
Crowns are the primary method of propagation for home gardeners, though slips and suckers are preferred.[10]

Cultivars
'Hilo': A compact 1–1.5 kg (2-3 lb) Hawaiian variant of 'Smooth Cayenne'. The fruit is more cylindrical and 
produces many suckers but no slips.
'Kona Sugarloaf': 2.5–3 kg (5-6 lb), white flesh with no woodiness in the center. Cylindrical in shape, it has a 
An unripe pineapple fruit high sugar content but no acid. An unusually sweet fruit.
'Natal Queen': 1–1.5 kg (2-3 lb), golden yellow flesh, crisp texture and delicate mild flavor. Well adapted to 
fresh consumption. Keeps well after ripening. Leaves spiny.
'Pernambuco' ('Eleuthera'): 1–2 kg (2-4 lb) with pale yellow to white flesh. Sweet, melting and excellent for eating fresh. Poorly adapted for 
shipping. Leaves spiny.
'Red Spanish': 1–2 kg (2-4 lb), pale yellow flesh with pleasant aroma; squarish in shape. Well adapted for shipping as fresh fruit to distant 
markets. Leaves spiny.
'Smooth Cayenne': 2.5–3 kg (5-6 lb), pale yellow to yellow flesh. Cylindrical in shape and with high sugar and acid content. Well adapted to 
canning and processing. Leaves without spines. This is the variety from Hawaii, and the most easily obtainable in U.S. grocery stores. Both
73-114 and 73-50 are of this cultivar.
 73-114 and 73-50 are of this cultivar.

Ethno-medical usage
The root and fruit are either eaten or applied topically as an anti-inflammatory and as a proteolytic agent. It is traditionally used as an
antihelminthic agent in the Philippines.[11]

Pests and diseases

Main article: List of pineapple diseases

Pineapples are subject to a variety of diseases,[12] the most serious of which is wilt disease vectored by mealybugs.[13] The mealybugs are
generally found on the surface of pineapples, but can also be found inside the closed blossom cups.[14] Other diseases include pink disease,[15]
bacterial heart rot, and anthracnose.

Storage and transport

Fresh pineapple is often somewhat expensive as the tropical fruit is delicate and difficult to ship. Pineapples can ripen after harvest, but require
certain temperatures for this process to occur.[citation needed] Like bananas, they are chill-sensitive and should not be stored in the refrigerator.
They will, however, ripen if left outside of a refrigerator.[16] The ripening of pineapples can be rather difficult as they will not ripen for some time and
in a day or two become over-ripe, therefore, pineapples are most widely available canned.

Usage in culture
In some cultures, the pineapple has become associated with the notion of welcome,[17] an association bespoken by the use of pineapple
motifs as carved decorations in woodworking.
In the Philippines, pineapple leaves are used as the source of a textile fiber called piña.

See also
Pineapple cutter
Pineapple tarts
The Big Pineapple

References
1. ^ http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/pineapple
2. ^ a b http://www.socialstudiesforkids.com/articles/ushistory/hawaiifirstpineapples.htm
3. ^ Oxford English Dictionary entries for pineapple and pine cones, 1971.
4. ^ Jones, Judy; William Wilson (2006). "Science". An Incomplete Education. Ballantine Books. pp. 544. ISBN 978-0-7394-7582-9.
5. ^ Hawaii.gov, list of prohibited animals
6. ^ [|Ketteler, Judi ] (July 2009). "Foods that Help Fight Chronic Pain ". AOL Health. Retrieved July 2009.
7. ^ Adaikan, P. Ganesan; Adebiyi, Adebowale (December 2004). "Mechanisms of the Oxytocic Activity of Papaya Proteinases ". Pharmaceutical
Biology (Taylor & Francis) 42 (8): 646–655. doi:10.1080/13880200490902608 .
8. ^ Nutrition Facts for pineapple
9. ^ a b http://faculty.ucc.edu/biology-ombrello/pow/pineapple.htm
10. ^ http://www.plants.am/wiki/Pineapple
11. ^ Monzon, R. B. (1995). "Traditional medicine in the treatment of parasitic diseases in the Philippines ". Southeast Asian journal of tropical
medicine and public health (Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization, Regional Tropical Medicine and Public Health Network,
Bangkok, Thailand) 26 (3): 421–428. doi:10.1080/13880200490902608 . ISSN 0125-1562 . Retrieved 2007-02-12.
12. ^ Diseases of Pineapple (Ananas comosus (L.) Merr.)
13. ^ Jahn, et al., 2003
14. ^ Jahn, 1995
15. ^ APSnet Feature - Pink Disease of Pineapple
16. ^ Refrigerated storage of perishable foods: Food Science Australia
17. ^ Symbolism of the Pineapple

Further reading
Francesca Beauman, 'The Pineapple', ISBN 0-7011-7699-7, publisher Chatto and Windus
Jahn, G. C. 1990. The role of the big-headed ant in mealybug wilt of pineapple. In G.K. Veeresh, B. Malik, and C. Viraktamath [eds.] "Social
Insects and the Environment." Oxford & IBH Publishing Co., New Delhi, 614-615.
Jahn, G. C. 1995. Gray pineapple mealybugs, Dysmicoccus neobrevipes Beardsley, found inside of pineapple fruit. Proc. Hawaiian Entomol.
Soc. 32: 147-148.
Jahn, Gary C., J. W. Beardsley and H. González-Hernández 2003. A review of the association of ants with mealybug wilt disease of
pineapple. Proceedings of the Hawaiian Entomological Society. 36:9-28.

External links
Pineapple Fruit Facts - Information on pineapples from California Rare Fruit Growers, Inc.
Wikimedia Commons has media
related to: Ananas comosus

Wikibooks Cookbook has a

recipe/module on
Pineapple

Categories: Ananas | Crops originating from the Americas | Accessory fruit | Medicinal plants | Tropical agriculture | Tropical fruit | Pineapples
| Hawaiian cuisine | Flora of Jamaica | Vietnamese ingredients | Puerto Rican ingredients
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