pineapple

Fruit of the Ananas comosus, a prickly plant that flourishes well in dry ground and is mainly cultivated in the provinces of Chonburi, Rayong, Chiang Rai, Prachuap Khirikhan, and Phuket. It takes about 2 years to grow a plant that yields and fruits take between 6 to 9 months to mature. There are usually only two or three fruits on each plant and grow from the middle of the plant, with each producing fruit up to three times in their lifespan, which lasts about 4 years. Afterwards the plants needs to be replaced by new shoots, which in fact consist of the leaves on top of the fruits. Depending on the species, the leaves of both the plant and those on top of the fruit may either have smooth or serrated edges, or may have spikes on them. Pineapples are picked by hand to allow the farmer to check the quality of each crop individually, before harvesting it. Thai pineapple farmers use a stick to tap the fruit for quality control, relying on the sound produced to determine ripeness. A clear, solid sound indicates a ripe pineapple, while a hollow or dull sound suggests it is unripe or overripe. This efficient and non-invasive method allows farmers to quickly assess large quantities of pineapples, ensuring only high-quality fruit reaches the market. Consumers can determine if a pineapple is ripe by its smell and colour. A sweet aroma at the base indicates ripeness, while no smell suggests underripeness and a sour smell indicates overripeness. Whereas a mostly golden yellow colour is ideal, some green will be good too, but an all-green pineapple is likely too tart, whilst a dark orange base means the fruit is probably overripe. Pineapple is a non-climacteric fruit, meaning it only ripens on the plant and not after it's harvested. So, an unripe pineapple won't sweeten over time. There is also no issue storing pineapples with other fruits and vegetables, as they emit very little ethylene gas, a naturally occurring ripening hormone. This means a pineapple's presence won’t accelerate the ripening process of nearby foods. Although pineapples don’t ripen off the plant, they can still be affected by ethylene. However, their thick, durable skin provides protection from the ethylene emitted by other fruits. Pineapples or representations of them are also often offered in temples and shrines, especially in Chinese Mahayana temples (fig.), because the pattern of their skin is similar to that of a dragon, snake or naga, sacred animals in Buddhism. On markets they are typically pealed in a spiral manner in order to cut away all the thorny spikes swiftly (fig.). In Thai called sapparot. One species of pineapple has a reddish colour (fig.) and is hence known as red pineapple. It is used as an ornamental plant and has the botanical name Ananas bracteatus. See also POSTAGE STAMP and THEMATIC STREET LIGHT. 回