When choosing a fruit in a store, many enjoy imagining how they will eat it, what its taste and smell will be... But what a disappointment awaits those who bought unripe fruit! Bananas, of course, will ripen without difficulty in the window, but buying an unripe pineapple is a waste of money, because picked pineapples no longer ripen. Therefore, when planning to buy a pineapple, do not be lazy to find out how to choose a ripe and tasty fruit based on external signs, so as not to get into trouble. In this article we will look at the main indicators of pineapple ripeness and danger signs that indicate a stale or rotten pineapple.
First, appreciate the smell of pineapple. If the fruit exudes a sweetish aroma, this indicates that it is ripe. An odorless fruit is probably unripe. However, too strong an aroma will indicate that the fruit is rotting or will soon begin to rot. Also, refrain from purchasing pineapples with fermented or artificial flavors. The fruit should smell pleasant, soft and sweet.
It is important to pay attention not only to the size, but also to the weight of the pineapple, since these parameters are not directly dependent on each other. By weight it is easy to determine the juiciness of the selected pineapple. Take two fruits of the same size that you like: the heavier one is juicier.
Proper storage will help preserve the freshness of the fruit. After peeling the pineapple, do not rush to cut it if you are not going to eat it right away. The larger the pieces, the longer the pineapple can last in the refrigerator. You don’t have to cut it at all or divide it into four parts, then the fruit will last for a week or two. You can give yourself a pleasant surprise for the winter - cut the fruit into more or less large pieces and freeze. This method allows you to preserve the pineapple for six months, and the large size of the pieces will prevent it from losing its aromatic properties.
Despite the fact that pineapple is sold in our country all year round and at quite affordable prices, people still firmly believe that such exoticism is a sign of luxury and prosperity. But it’s not enough to grab the first fruit you come across in the store; you also need to know which one to grab.
By the tail
The first thing most sources teach is to pull the so-called sultan. That is, leaves. Or even spin the entire hat. They say that if the leaf is in your hands, then the pineapple is definitely ripe for the table.
So the unlucky buyers turn the sultana in all directions, checking the ripeness of the fruit. Only now it may happen that with special zeal the entire bunch will end up in your hands. Then you'll need fast feet or a long tongue. To escape from the seller, or to try to get away.
- Secret. An easily pulled out leaf is not a sign of ripeness. This may be the beginning of the pineapple rotting process, which begins precisely at the top of the fruit.
- How to choose a ripe pineapple based on its leaves:
- The leaves are dry, brownish green in color, indicating that the fruit is completely overripe. Inside you will find a stinking, watery mass, with a nasty taste and, possibly, signs of rotting.
That's all. And you don't have to pull or twist anything. If you really can’t wait to try the torsion method, then do it carefully. Gently rock the plume from side to side. It should give slightly, but not fall off completely. This is a sign of overripeness. And it certainly shouldn’t sit like a glove. Such fruit should ripen for a long time.
Advice. Carefully inspect the place where the tops are attached to the fruit. Sometimes a pineapple appears to be ripe, but suddenly there is mold. Refuse to purchase. Choose another fruit.
According to the color of the pulp
“Ripe pineapple has a characteristic yellow color...” and blah blah. Well, tell me, which store will allow you to cut the fruit to evaluate the color of the pulp? Or do sellers at the market also chop up every fruit? What if you don't buy it? You'll definitely get a pineapple on the top. Or a couple of affectionate ones. Or maybe not even a couple. And who will give you a guarantee that the pineapple you bought is as ripe as the cut fruit? No one.
Therefore, we will leave this method of determining ripeness to individuals who love extreme sports. And we will look at the color... of the scales. Yes, yes, it is their shade and condition that are quite worthy of being an indicator.
- The scales are juicy, light in color. The grooves between them are yellow or light green. Such a pineapple is still unripe, you will feel sorry for the money you spent on it.
- The scales are golden brown, juicy themselves, but the tips have already dried out a little. The grooves between them are a shade darker or greenish. Don't miss this beauty! Throw this pineapple into your basket immediately, you won’t regret it.
- The scales are dark or burgundy in color, hard, almost dried out. The grooves between them are brown with whitish specks. Again a waste of money and time. Such a pineapple is already preparing to depart safely into another world. Don't bother him and leave him alone.
At the same time, we can mention the elasticity of the crust. This is an indirect indicator. Of course, it does not give a 100% guarantee that you will get a ripe fruit. But other signs are also indirect; only cutting will give an absolute result. Therefore, just press the scale with a little force. It should be pliable, but elastic, like a spring. Hard indicates immaturity, and soft indicates overripeness.
By smell
Feel free to smell the pineapple. Even without damaging the integrity of the peel or pulp, ripe fruit exudes a characteristic aroma. He should be pleasant and unobtrusive. The strong, chemically-tasting smell that hits your nose should dissuade you from purchasing it. The almost complete absence of aroma should also cause healthy concern.
By price
Although pineapple has long been common on our shelves, a good ripe fruit cannot be cheap. The fact is that he got to you by plane, and tickets are expensive now. But such a fruit was picked at the peak of its career and sent to you on a business trip at full ripeness and in the prime of life.
Inexpensive fruit sailed to our country by sea. There is no doubt that tickets are much cheaper, but the swim takes more time than the flight. Therefore, such a pineapple was picked completely unripe in order to reach the condition on the way. But only eyewitnesses, who are not ordinary buyers, know under what conditions such a swim took place.
So don't be greedy, spend more on pineapple. But you definitely won’t go wrong and won’t throw money away. As they say: the miser pays twice.
By sound and weight
No, of course, the pineapple will not sing you Rigoletto’s aria to prove its ripeness. But you can really clap. Just not in your hands, but on the side of the fruit. Depending on the sound, you can determine the degree of maturity with a 70% probability:
- The empty sound indicates that the pineapple has been on the shelf for a very long time. He shrunk. There is no feeling of heaviness on the hand.
- A dull sound, like that of a watermelon, signals the complete ripeness of the fruit. When weighed on your hand, the pineapple feels heavier than it looks.
- A ringing sound indicates that the fruit is completely unripe. On the hand it weighs about the same as its appearance.
As you can see, everything is quite simple. Smell, tap, press. And further. Don't be afraid to examine the pineapple from all sides. Especially in stores. There is a sin there - turning the fruit towards the buyer in the most beautiful side. Therefore, be careful.
Advice. Try choosing a pineapple according to our recommendations. If you make a mistake, you will immediately get a visual experience. You won't make any more mistakes.
How to choose a ripe pineapple is no longer a question for you. And it’s unlikely that cunning sellers will be able to deceive you in order to sell you unripe fruit.
Video: how to choose, peel and cut a pineapple
Today, pineapple is no longer as surprising as it was a few years ago. Almost everyone has tried this fruit at least once in their life. But I want to buy a good and ripe fruit to enjoy the delicate aroma and pleasant taste.
Choosing the right ripe pineapple on the market or in a store today is not difficult if you know how to do it. Helpful tips are provided below.
There are many varieties of pineapple. And not all of them can be eaten raw. Some are grown only for industrial canning. Other varieties are used only to obtain fiber from the leaves, used in the textile industry.
When starting to choose a pineapple, you should ask the seller about its place of growth and variety.
Rules for choosing ripe pineapple.
Knowing how to choose a ripe pineapple, you can buy a delicious fruit. But the fruit must also be properly preserved so that it does not quickly lose its taste. The main points are as follows:
You need to be able to not only store it correctly, but also. The easiest way is to cut the fruit into circles. But then you have to go to the trouble of peeling the skin from each oval and removing the inedible middle part.
Another method involves peeling the entire fruit by cutting off the skin and then cutting out the core. Then all that remains is to cut the juicy pulp onto a plate.
It is possible that in search of an answer to the question of how to choose a pineapple, you will have to sacrifice time for the first time. But then the experience gained will be useful, and the purchased fruits will delight you with their ripeness and taste.
Pineapple is one of many people's favorite tropical fruits. Its wonderful taste and benefits for the body are undeniable - as is its high price. For this reason, the choice should be as responsible as possible: not everyone can afford to replace the unsuccessful fruit purchased for the holiday table. But how do you know that the pineapple is already ripe and ready to eat?
Pineapple: how to choose a ripe one? The main signs of a ripe fruit
Pineapples travel a long way from warm countries before reaching the domestic market. The fruits mainly come from South America, Paraguay, the Philippines, and Thailand. They can “travel” in two ways:
- more expensive fruits “land” on the plane - due to the short delivery time, such pineapples are picked sufficiently ripe;
- The cheaper fruits “arrived” by sea, which means they had time to ripen on the way - they were picked completely green.
It is rare that a seller is able to provide information about the delivery method, so you mainly rely on the cost of the product. In addition, you need to pay attention to the following signs of a ripe pineapple:
The easiest way to quickly check the ripeness of a pineapple is to turn the top crown: if the fruit is ripe, it will easily come off. True, not every store will evaluate such a test, so you will have to limit yourself to less obvious methods to make sure that the fruit is sufficiently ripe.
Additionally, you should study the label (if there is one), taking into account the following information:
- variety - the most common are “Creola” and Gold. Externally, the pineapples of these varieties are identical; the difference can only be learned from the label. Gold belongs to the dessert category; these fruits are very sweet. The “Creola” variety is intended for making juices due to its sour fruits;
- manufacturer - reliable companies indicate information about the harvest time and expiration date of the pineapple. Chiquita, Dole and United Fruit are considered the best on the market.
When making a choice, you need to pay attention to the size of the fruit. In most cases, small fruits are sweeter than large ones, and those with thorns on the tops are tastier than smooth-leaved ones.
How to choose a pineapple? Characteristics of a Bad Fruit
You can also do the opposite by rejecting fruits that meet the “bad” criteria. The “symptoms” that something is wrong with the pineapple include the following:
- Excessive hardness of the fruit indicates unripeness, excessive softness indicates overripeness.
- Yellow leaves are found on “old” pineapples.
- Dark brown spots on the peel between the scales are an obvious sign of a very overripe fruit, perhaps even beginning to rot.
- A clearly green color on the top of the fruit means it is not ripe enough.
- The “empty” sound produced when tapping a pineapple indicates that the fruit is dry and it will not be possible to “get” juicy pulp from it.
- An obsessive intense smell indicates the overripeness of the fruit, which in its “development” has almost reached the stage of decay. An additional “symptom” is the presence of mold on the crust.
- A light herbaceous aroma is characteristic of unripe pineapples.
- The dent that forms when you press on the peel warns against purchasing an overripe fruit. In principle, such a pineapple can be eaten, but this must be done as soon as possible, before the fruit begins to rot.
No matter how hard the buyer puts in, he always has a chance of losing this “lottery.” You can accurately determine whether the fruit was ripe only at home after cutting the pineapple. The ripe fruit has juicy, rich yellow pulp with a golden tint. An unsuccessful purchase and unripe fruit are indicated by the pale color of the “internals”.
Green pineapple can be placed tops down in a vase and kept for several days: in this position the ripening process is accelerated. True, in this case the fruit will contain caustic substances that corrode the mucous membrane. Pineapple is truly sweet only when it is picked when it is already ripe, and this happens extremely rarely.
A good pineapple can decorate any table. Do not underestimate this fruit: as a rule, those who do not like it have simply tasted under- or overripe fruits. It's time to correct this annoying mistake by learning to choose the right fruit. It's time to add a new taste to your life!
