tropical fruit

Tropical Fruit with a New Look-Pineapple

DanFruits & Vegetables, This Land of Ours

tropical fruit

 

Cathy Isom tells us about a popular tropical fruit with a new look just in time for summer. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours.

 

The Pineapple is getting a bit of makeover and soon you’ll be seeing this summer fruit favorite popping up everywhere in the color pink! Even though they have been in developments for over a decade, fruit producing giant Del Monte – which holds the patent on the pink pineapple – has now been given the green light by the FDA to start producing these genetically modified beauties. The FDA said the pink pineapple simply has some genes toned down to keep the fruit of the flesh pinker and sweeter. Pink Pineapples are genetically engineered to produce lower enzymes already in conventional pineapple that convert the pink pigment lycopene to the yellow pigment beta carotene.  Lycopene is what makes tomatoes red and watermelons pink.  Del Monte is planning to start growing the pineapple in Costa Rica. They will label it extra sweet pink flesh pineapple. So far there’s no official word on when you can buy them or how much they’ll cost.

I’m Cathy Isom…