Why does the pineapple always ripen/soften from the base?
As per the consensus under this post, lacking ethylene the pineapple softens but not ripens after picking. But it seems even before or right after picking the pineapple is ripe only at the bottom. Does it ripen from the bottom while on the plant because the base is connected to the stem? But why does that lead to the bottom ripening first?
Also my pineapples always ripen/soften from the bottom. It has become a pet peeve of mine that when the bottom is nice and soft and sweet, the upper 80% is still green and hard, but when the upper pineapple reaches the middle part of the softening process the bottom usually seems over-ripe, starting to rot. Why is that? I have seen posts here where people say they store their pineapples upside down. Is that necessary?
Best Answer
I believe the cause of the pineapple being ripened from the base is because of gravity pulling the juice downwards which it then ferments and turns into alcohol.
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Do pineapples ripen from the bottom up?
All you have to do is place the pineapple with the base upwards and balance the pineapple on its leaves. This essentially helps the sugars flow upwards to ripen the pineapple.Why do pineapples ripen faster upside down?
To ripen an unripe pineapple sooner, always place it with its base upwards and balancing it on its leaves, that is, place it upside down. This helps in the upflow of the sugars which yields in ripening the fruit evenly, and saves the fruit from rotting.What causes pineapples to ripen?
These fruits produce ethylene, a hormone that helps ripen fruits. In fact, the pineapple itself produces ethylene as well. The ethylene gets trapped and confined within that space. This helps ripen the pineapple faster (even without any other fruit in the bag).Should a pineapple be soft or hard?
A ripe pineapple should have a firm shell but be slightly soft with a bit of give when you squeeze it. Pineapples that are completely solid or hard when squeezed are unlikely to be fully ripe.How To Ripen a Pineapple Faster
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