We all know who lived in the pineapple under the sea, but what about the pink pineapple? Don't think you've been completely oblivious to this fruit, because pink pineapples are actually completely new to the market after years in the making. Still wondering what are pink pineapples? Keep reading, we have all of the answers.
Why Haven't I Seen Them Before?
Pink Pineapples were not suddenly discovered but were instead a project approved by the U.S. Department of Agriculture twelve years ago. The USDA is the literal top of the food chain when it comes to food safety.
Interior pineapple colors naturally range from light to dark yellow, but that was not enough for some people. Both the inside and outside of this new pineapple are a nice shade of pink with the familiar green leaves remaining on top.
Del Monte Fresh Produce Company requested legal importing of such pineapples in 2012, but the FDA only recently approved these pastel creations to be sold in the states.
Getting not only a new product on the market but a modified plant to the general public takes a lot of time and rules followed, so we'll cut them some slack on taking so long. It is not simply a matter of adding food dye.
How Are They Made?
These rosé pineapples are more than their aesthetics. The increased lycopene levels give the color, as it is also what makes watermelons pink; but, suppressing Ethylene Synthesis promotes quality and aids in production by "promoting a more uniform growth".
Simply put, different genes have been overexposed or repressed in order to modify pineapples this particular way. People will soon be asking "what are pink pineapples" with concern but there's nothing to worry about.
They are still the same pineapples we know and love but maybe even better. There is sure to be some uproar over the the genetic modification, but when isn't there GMO chaos?
This could be a gateway to a rainbow of fruits, more so than we have now. It would also be a test to how people see the magic of food science and its possibilities.
Have Do They Taste?
Pink pineapples aren't widely available enough for a taste test yet. The FDA claims they'll have a sweeter taste, which brings to mind a list of possible drinks and treats to be made.
The issue is no longer what are pink pineapples, but where are they. Only a few people have gotten their hands on the rosé pineapples. Fingers crossed we see these beauties in our super markets any day now.