aem wrote:
> hob wrote:
>
>>[snip]
>>Please cite the "authority" that states a pineapple does not ripen once
>>picked - (and please, not the Dole
>>marketing-of-canned-pineapple-you-can't-get-any-better-than-canned-BS
>>department pap put out for foppish haulis)
>>
>
> The lengthy quote below is from www.wholehealthmd.com, a reasonably
> reliable source about food (though they do not do a good job citing
> their sources of information): -aem
>
> "Once the fruit has been harvested, it won't get any sweeter, so
> growers ripen pineapples on the plant to a point where they are almost
> fully ripe, with a high sugar content and plenty of juice. (If too
> ripe, the fruit may spoil before it gets to market.) After harvesting,
> the pineapples are shipped as quickly as possible, arriving within two
> to three days.
>
> "Because a picked pineapple will only get older but will never develop
> more sweetness or juiciness, most of the traditional tricks for judging
> its "ripeness" are unreliable. For example, don't bother trying to
> judge the fruit by its color: the skin of a pineapple that was picked
> before it was ripe may in fact turn a lovely golden yellow, but the
> fruit on the inside will be just as unsweet as it was when picked. The
> same goes for other methods--thumping it to test its "soundness" or
> pulling a crown leaf to see how loose it is. These will only be a guide
> to the age, not to the sweetness of the fruit within.
>
> "Your best guide to "ripeness" is a label or tag indicating that the
> pineapple was jet-shipped from Hawaii. These pineapples are more likely
> to be in prime condition (and also more expensive) than those brought
> in by truck or boat from Latin America. In addition, because pineapples
> brought in from Central America have a longer journey, they are often
> picked too green, which means they may be fibrous and not very sweet.
>
> "One relatively reliable guide to a pineapple's goodness is its
> fragrance (though if the fruit is cold, the aroma may not be apparent).
> Sniff it at the stem end."
>


Del Monte Gold pineapples -- from Costa Rica, I think -- are picked
riper than Hawaii pineapples. Del Monte is working on a new gold
pineapple that I think they're calling "HoneyGold" (like the apple) that
can be picked ripe and does not deteriorate nearly as quickly as other
pineapples. I'm not sure how soon it is to market. Other brands of
gold pineapples that I've tried are just posers (but are probably
gaining on Del Monte)

Best regards,
Bob <-- owns stock in Del Monte (FDP)