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Q: Why Won't Pineapple and Jell-O Be Friends?

Written by Mental_Floss
Published October 10, 2006

A: If Jell-O™ ads and 1950s cookbooks are to be believed, you can mix almost anything with gelatin and have it come out tasty. Ham? Absolutely. Carrots? Sure thing. Tomato soup? M’m, m’m, good.

The only ingredient that seems to be taboo is the one that actually sounds delicious: fresh pineapple. Unfortunately, the tropical treat works like kryptonite on Jell-O because it contains an enzyme called bromelain, which prevents gelatin from forming into a solid. But fret not, fruit salad and mold fans: canned pineapple doesn’t contain bromelain. The canning process heats the pineapple to a temperature sufficient to break the enzyme down, making it oh-so Jell-O friendly.

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Q: Why Won't Pineapple and Jell-O Be Friends?
Published: October 10, 2006
Type: News
Section: Tastes
Filed Under: Tastes: Food and Drink, Sci/Tech: Physical Sciences
Part of a feature: mental_floss Question of the Day
Writer: Mental_Floss
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Comments

#1 — October 10, 2006 @ 10:56AM — Phillip Winn [URL]

Now I can safely mix tangy tropical fruit with cow hooves. Yum!

Er, never mind.

#2 — October 10, 2006 @ 12:57PM — Matthew T. Sussman [URL]

Further proof that Bill Cosby hates Hawaiians.

#3 — October 10, 2006 @ 17:00PM — tink [URL]

huh...and I've been thinking all this time that it was any form of pineapple.

thanks for the news...I see green jello and pineapple chunks in my future...

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