Around the World in 40 Fruits – Volume 29 – By Dr. Marli Botha – Article 29 of 40
By Dr. Marli Botha
The pineapple is often considered the national fruit of Taiwan. Particularly known for its use in their beloved pineapple cake. The Taiwanese word for pineapple, “ong lai,” translates to “prosperity arrives,” making it a symbol of good fortune and success.
Let’s peel back the layers of this tropical gem – where sweetness meets symbolism and tradition grows tall!
- Pineapples are not a single fruits but clusters of many small fruits fused together.
- Pineapples contain an enzyme called bromelain that can be used to tenderize meat. This is why your mouth feels tingly after eating a lot of fresh pineapple !
- You can grow pineapple plants by slicing off the top of a pineapple and planting it in soil.
- The worlds largest pineapple ever recorded was in 2011 grown by Christine McCollum from Bakewell Australia. It measured 32cm long had a 66cm girth and weighed 28kg.
- A pineapple never becomes any riper than it was when harvested since it is a non-climacteric fruit
