Pineapple (Ananas comosus)

Did you know that Pineapple with Sanskrit name Annasam, the third most important tropical fruit, is derived from 200 or more small red flowers which fuse together to form a single multiple fruit with a decorative crown or tuft of shortened leaves?

Did you know that the Pineapple skin is an example of a Fibonacci sequence, a series of infinite numbers that follow a set pattern that draws the eyes and challenges the brain in a natural form of enchantment?

Pineapple, a popular tropical fruit, with scientific name of the plant known as Ananas comosus, belongs to the family of Bromeliaceae. Fruits that look like green pine cones but are much larger, and are filled with solid pulp, like a melon but are much sweeter in taste and smelling. Its appearance is fascinating and its curious quilted surface resulting from the fact that the pineapple is not one fruit but many. Each pineapple is composed of upwards of 200 or more small red flowers which fuse together to form a single multiple fruit with a decorative crown or tuft of shortened leaves.

Pineapples as it appears like pinecones, the early Spanish explorers, named them 'pina de los Indias' (Indian pine cone) or 'pina' for short. The English added the name apple to it as it was the general term used for any fruit. It is now grown throughout the world with many names and in many cultivars. 

Historically, though archaeological evidence of Pineapple cultivation/use is recorded as far back as 1200 - 800 BC (3200-2800 BP) in Peru, and 200BC - AD700 (2200-1300 BP) in Mexico, where it was cultivated by the Mayas and the Aztec, it got exposure to the rest of the world only after it was discovered on 4 November 1493 by Christopher Columbus when he landed in the Caribbean island named as Santa Maria de Guadeoupe; it is currently cultivated in most tropical countries. The Portuguese brought the fruit from Brazil and introduced it in Goa, in India by 1550 AD; from Northeast to south, coastal regions of India cultivate this fruit. Its season is from July to September. 

Pineapple is known in Indian vernacular names as: Annasam, Anarush in Sanskrit; Ananas in Hindi; Annnas in Gujarati; Aananas Hannu, Ananasu ಅನಾನಸ್ in Kannada; Aanahi phalam in Tamil; and Ananas Pundu in Telugu. 

Pineapple, a herbaceous perennial plant, a small shrub, grows to an average height of 1 to 1.5 m with spread of up to one meter. The plant has a short, stout stem with rosette of long leaves surrounding it. Leaves are thick, fleshy, and narrow and long pointed, tough textured, waxy, and strap. Leaves are generally solid green in colour; however in some cultivars, leaves may be striped (pinkish red, creamish yellow or white stripes in the middle or near the margins. At blooming time, the stem elongates and produces a spike-like inflorescence at the apex, 200 or more small red flowers are present in the inflorescence. Flowers are open-pollinated; pineapples are generally pollinated by humming birds and bats. All flowers are fused together to form pineapple fruit which is a multiple fruit while the stem grows to grow and form a crown at the top of the fruit. The pineapple crown is actually a small tuft of shortened leaves. It is grown in almost any well drained soil with a pH in the range of 4,5-5.5. The type of soil seems to be less important factor than the quality of management in the growing of the crop. A pineapple never becomes any riper than it was when harvested.

The indigenous people of South America, who were dwellers in South Amercia much before Columbus discovered the country, ate pineapple fresh, roasted it over the fire, dried it and made wine from it. They also employed it as folk medicine and made fibres for netting and plating from its leaves, and also used it to make poison for their arrow heads. The Pineapple skin is an example of a Fibonacci sequence, a series of infinite numbers that follow a set pattern that draws the eyes and challenges the brain in a natural form of enchantment.

Pineapple exists now as the third most important tropical fruit having world wide production, with Philippines topping in production. Raw pineapple pulp is 86% water, 13% carbohydrates, 0.5% protein, and contains negligible fat. In a 100-gram reference amount, raw pineapple supplies 209 kilojoules (50 kilocalories) of food energy, and is a rich source of manganese (44% Daily Value, DV) and vitamin C (58% DV). Research studies have confirmed its potential pharmacological activity like anti-diabetic, antibacterial, antioxidant, antidyslipdemia, and anti tumor. 

Pineapple is cultivated commercially in 20 states of India, but particularly in Northeast India including West Bengal; the top four pineapple growing states in the East and Northesat India are West Bengal, Assam, Manipur and Meghalaya. Out of eight states in North East India, six of them had been placed consistently among the top ten pineapple producing belts of the country; Assam pineapple variety is the most popular cutivar (Kew, queen, Mauritius varieties) sought after by people, and is preferred by fruit juice manufacturers. Now, pineapple plantations are highly industrialized operations in most countries. India is said to contribute nearly 10% of the world's pineapple production. In 2021, its production in India was 140,000 tons ( against a world producion of about 28 million tonnes), dominated by West Bengal and all the Northeastern states. A variety of pimeapple grown in Kerala called the Vazhakulam Pineapple has been registered as Geographical Indication (GI Tag) under Agricultural-Horticultural Product category. The Vazhakulam Pineapple fruit; this fruit has a pleasant aroma and is good source of carotene and vitamins.

The flesh and juice of the pineapple are used in cuisines around the world. In many tropical countries, pineapple is prepared and sold on roadsides as a snack. It is sold whole or in halves with a stick inserted. The juice of the pineapple is served as a beverage, and it is also the main ingredient in cocktails such as the Pina colada and in the drink Tepache.

- Narasipur Char