Kew Pineapples
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Description/Taste
Kew pineapples are a small to medium-sized varietal, averaging 1.5 to 3 kilograms in weight, and have a cylindrical to oblong shape with a flattened bottom and slightly tapered top. It is important to note that the variety will vary in size, depending on the soil and region it is grown in, as well as the age of the plant. Each fruit is topped with an upright, spreading crown of lanceolate-shaped, overlapping leaves. The thick, pointed leaves, also known as bracts, exhibit a dusty grey-green hue and grow in a rosette pattern. The leaves are spineless except for a few small points at the tip and are slightly angled, allowing water to travel down the leaf’s surface toward the plant. The fruit's exterior is a rough, textured, fibrous rind covered in individual hexagonal segments fusing to form one surface. These segments are shallow and broad, allowing the rind to be easily sliced from the flesh without excess waste. The rind ripens from dark green to variegated golden yellow and brown hues and has a waxy, semi-rough feel. It is worth noting that pineapples ripen from the base up, so the bottom of the fruits is generally considered the sweetest portion in fresh consumption. Underneath the rind, the pale-yellow flesh is firm, aqueous, and tender, with a crunchy, succulent consistency. Kew pineapples typically contain less fiber than other commercial pineapple varieties and are filled with sticky, aromatic juice. Ripe Kew pineapples release a fragrant, honeyed, and syrupy-sweet scent and should feel heavy for their size, indicating high juice content. Also, select fruits that showcase a yellow coloring at the base of the fruit. If the base is green, the fruits are not considered ripe enough for consumption. Kew pineapples can be eaten raw or cooked and have high sugar content, between 12 to 16 degrees Brix, and low acidity, 0.1 to 1.2%, creating a sweet, tropical, subtly tangy, bright, and refreshing flavor.
Seasons/Availability
Kew pineapples are harvested at different points in the year, depending on their growing location. In India, the pineapples are generally picked from July through September, with a smaller second harvest from October through January.
Current Facts
Kew pineapples, botanically classified as Ananas comosus, are a tropical to subtropical species belonging to the Bromeliaceae family. The late-maturing cultivar is a part of the Cayenne commercial group, a category of pineapples with high total soluble sugars and acidity, primarily grown for processing. Kew pineapples develop on plants reaching 90 to 100 centimeters in height, and each plant only produces one fruit per season. Kew pineapples are grown worldwide, but they are one of India's most commercially produced pineapple varieties. They are notably planted in Southern and Northwestern regions as a canning, juicing, and candy-making cultivar. The variety is desired for its uniform shape and shallow eyes, allowing the rind to be removed without excess waste for canning purposes. It can take anywhere from 12 to 18 months for Kew pineapples to mature for harvest, and the size of the fruit will vary, depending on the growing environment and the age of the plant. Kew pineapples are also consumed on a small scale as a fresh-eating table fruit and are favored for their fibreless flesh and sweet, subtly tangy flavor.
Nutritional Value
Kew pineapples have not been extensively studied for their nutritional properties. Like other pineapple cultivars, Kew pineapples are a source of potassium to balance fluid levels within the body, vitamin C to boost the immune system, calcium to build strong bones, and magnesium to control nerve functioning. The fruits may also provide some phosphorus to form bones and teeth, vitamin E to reduce inflammation, iron to develop the protein hemoglobin for oxygen transport through the bloodstream, and other nutrients, including zinc, vitamin A, vitamin K, and folate. Pineapples notably contain bromelain, a type of enzyme that helps reduce pain and swelling in the body. Bromelain is also thought to aid in digestion.
Applications
Kew pineapples have a sweet, subtly tangy taste suited for fresh and cooked preparations. The variety is commercially produced worldwide and is primarily sold as a processed item, made into juices, candies, and dried goods. Their most popular use is canned preparations, as the fruits are easy to slice and remove the rind uniformly. In India, Kew pineapples are sold fresh at local markets and roadside fruit stands. The pineapples are sliced and served as a refreshing snack. Kew pineapples can also be diced into chutneys, layered into yogurt, or combined with spices and herbs into raita as a cooling condiment to spicy, warm dishes. The fruits contain sweet, moderately acidic juice used for smoothies, shakes, fruit punches, and hot sauces, or the juice can be incorporated into glazes for roasted meats. In addition to fresh preparations, Kew pineapples are added to curries, stir-fries, or skewered and grilled as a savory-sweet accompaniment to cooked meats. They can also be added to cakes and other desserts. A popular Indian street snack, bhel puri, incorporates pineapple into a mixture of puffed rice, spices, and chopped vegetables. The entire fruit can be halved, cored, and filled with rice-based dishes as an edible bowl, or rings and slices of the flesh can be dehydrated into chewy, sweet strips. Dried pineapple is sold for snacking, confectionary use, or as an ingredient in various cereals and biscuits. Kew pineapples pair well with spices such as cumin, cinnamon, chili powder, chaat masala, and black salt, fruits including coconut, bananas, mangos, passionfruit, limes, and oranges, and meats such as pork, poultry, and mutton. Whole, unopened, and ripe Kew pineapples will keep in a cool, dry, and dark location for 3 to 4 days. It is recommended to store the fruits upside down, with the crown removed, to distribute sugar throughout the flesh.
Ethnic/Cultural Info
Kew pineapples are one of the varieties featured at a pineapple festival in the Molvom Village in Nagaland. Pineapples have been commercially grown in Nagaland for around 30 to 50 years, and the Kew variety was introduced as a multi-purpose fruit for processing and fresh eating. Within Nagaland, the Molvom and Bungsang Villages in the Dimapur District are nicknamed “pineapple villages” for their concentration of pineapple farms and passion of growers seeking to increase production. Each year, growers gather thousands of suckers from existing plants for propagation and hand sow them to create future fields of crops. The pineapples are also organically grown, and the fruits are hand-picked and carried in large baskets from the fields. Harvested fruits are sold locally at roadside stands and fresh markets when they are in season, and the pineapples are also transported to Assam, a neighboring state, as a table variety. In the Molvom Village, an annual pineapple festival was established in partnership with the Department of Horticulture to showcase the locally grown fruits. The two to three-day festival promotes Kew and Queen pineapples, the main varieties of the region, and the fruits are sold fresh to generate awareness among visitors and locals to increase production. The Molvom Village also has a large stand shaped like a pineapple as a festive landmark of the region.
Geography/History
Kew pineapples are descendants of pineapple varieties native to South America. Ancient pineapple varieties spread with migrating peoples and along trade routes throughout South America into Central America and the Caribbean, and there is debate as to when the species was introduced worldwide. Some historians claim pineapples were introduced into Asia sometime between 322 BCE and 550 CE, while others believe the species may have been present in Ancient Egypt as early as 1458 BCE. It is unknown when pineapples arrived in Asia, but the first recorded encounter of the species by European explorers was documented on Columbus’ second voyage in 1493. The Portuguese later brought pineapples from the New World and planted them in Southern India in 1550 and in Assam sometime in the 1700s. Pineapples were also sent from Cayenne, now known as French Guyana, in 1820 to the Royal Botanical Gardens in Kew, England, where they were extensively bred and improved, leading to the creation of the Kew variety. Kew pineapples eventually became a commercial variety grown throughout India, Mauritius, Reunion Island, and Australia. In India, the cultivar is produced in Kerala, Manipur, Nagaland, Tripura, and Tamil Nadu. Today, Kew pineapples are sold primarily for processing and are also offered on a small scale for table purposes. The Kew pineapples featured in the photograph above were sourced from a farm in Molvom Village, a region known for pineapple production in the Dimapur District of Nagaland, India.
