Pineapple allergy?

[Damzlfly]

I bought a pineapple last night with plans on dehydrating it for the Donut holes recipe. Well I ate about 1/4 of it and the sides of my tongue started to feel funny and the corners of my mouth started to burn. I just thought it was too acidic b/c I was eating it with blackberries.

I had some of my donut holes this morning and the tingling/burning feeling in back in the corners of my mouth.

Am I allergic? Will it get worse? What else is in the pineapple family that I need to be careful with now?

[Pierre]

Pineapple has a strong enzyme that can do this. Let your mouth heal, then try it again.

Pineapple is in the bromeliad family; I don't know of any other bromeliads that are eaten. Kiwifruit, though, has a similar enzyme.

[beanmonkee]

Pineapple does that to me, too. Not always right away, but sometimes if I've eaten a lot of it. I can have it in smaller amounts in smoothies, but straight up fresh pineapple is torture on my mouth. It fades after a while, but it's no fun.

It never happened with canned pineapple -- funny how that works.

[Damzlfly]

Hmm ok thanks guys. I don't eat a lot of it anyways, so I think I might just eliminate it. Kiwi's do the same thing...and strawberries are supposed to (same family as Kiwi's) but I'm OK with Strawberries...weird.

[elfinbaby]

The same thing happened to me one night not too long ago. Oddly enough I had been reading a book (maybe by David Wolfe?) that mentioned how our bodies signal us when we've had too much of something. He happened to use the example of how a pineapple can cause that burning sensation in the mouth/tongue. I believe it is an enzyme like another poster mentioned. I'm not allergic to it but I know what you are talking about since the same thing happened to me when I overindulged.

April

[Pierre]

Kiwis and strawberries are not in the same family. Strawberries are in the rose family, as are raspberries, framberries, peaches, apples, and pears. Kiwifruits are in their own family.

[Damzlfly]

Kiwis and strawberries are not in the same family. Strawberries are in the rose family, as are raspberries, framberries, peaches, apples, and pears. Kiwifruits are in their own family.

Well that is odd...I was told by a naturopath that if you are allergic to Kiwis then you will also be allergic to strawberries! I was mortified at this cause I LOVE me some strawberries! YAY great to know! Thanks Pierre!

[Sheryl]

The burn with pineapples is from underripe pineapples that still have high acid levels... you'll notice if you get a really nice ripe one it won't happen. Pineapples will not ripen once picked, and many now a days are picked very underripe. They will start to soften and rot, but the acid levels never go down.

[lafsalot]

Here's VFL's tip -

YES! It's so simple. I posted this before, but here goes again.
When you buy a pineapple, bring it home and store it out of the fridge green side down, in a basket or a bowl until it turns as yellow all over as it's going to get.
Then cut the green part off, turn cut side down into a bowl and place in the fridge at minimum overnight. I've had some in the fridge for three days. You figure the pinapple grows green side up. It's shipped green side up. You slide it, thinking green side up. Cutting off the green and then storing in fridge lets the acid and sugars travel throughout the entire pineapple.
Since doing this I have never had my tongue get that bite feeling.
A friend that lived in Hawaii told me about this.
It DOES work!
Also, invest in a pineapple corer. They are cool gadgets. Makes cutting the pineapple soooo easy.
Attached Thumbnails
Click image for larger version Name: pineapple corer.jpg Views: 177 Size: 2.6 KB ID: 2017
__________________
-lucy

[juliebove]

Raw pineapple always does this to me. Cooked does not. I am not allergic. I've been tested. I just don't eat it. I also react the same way to bromelian. My naturopath suggested some supplements for me to take that contained it. I was worried because I'd tried straight bromelian on my own and I reacted badly to them. She didn't think these would affect me badly because they had other things in them. But not only did my tongue and the insides of my mouth get all blistered, I had a terrible burping problem.

[Damzlfly]

The burn with pineapples is from underripe pineapples that still have high acid levels... you'll notice if you get a really nice ripe one it won't happen. Pineapples will not ripen once picked, and many now a days are picked very underripe. They will start to soften and rot, but the acid levels never go down.

Hi Sherry, this one was very ripe. I was able to pull out the leaves at the top. It was also very sweet and juicy. I think I truly am allergic..I tried a piece of my dehydrated pineapple this afternoon and got the same feeling....which makes me wonder if i can eat my donuts :(

[Damzlfly]

Here's VFL's tip -

YES! It's so simple. I posted this before, but here goes again.
When you buy a pineapple, bring it home and store it out of the fridge green side down, in a basket or a bowl until it turns as yellow all over as it's going to get.
Then cut the green part off, turn cut side down into a bowl and place in the fridge at minimum overnight. I've had some in the fridge for three days. You figure the pinapple grows green side up. It's shipped green side up. You slide it, thinking green side up. Cutting off the green and then storing in fridge lets the acid and sugars travel throughout the entire pineapple.
Since doing this I have never had my tongue get that bite feeling.
A friend that lived in Hawaii told me about this.
It DOES work!
Also, invest in a pineapple corer. They are cool gadgets. Makes cutting the pineapple soooo easy.
Attached Thumbnails
Click image for larger version Name: pineapple corer.jpg Views: 177 Size: 2.6 KB ID: 2017
__________________
-lucy

I want to try that but I dont want to waste $5 on another pineapple if I have to throw it out again :( has anyone else tried it? I really love pineapple and it used to give me a little tingly on the tongue before, but this was intense...the corners of my mouth are STILL sore, and cracking now too.

[Veganforlife]

Here's VFL's tip -

YES! It's so simple. I posted this before, but here goes again.
When you buy a pineapple, bring it home and store it out of the fridge green side down, in a basket or a bowl until it turns as yellow all over as it's going to get.
Then cut the green part off, turn cut side down into a bowl and place in the fridge at minimum overnight. I've had some in the fridge for three days. You figure the pinapple grows green side up. It's shipped green side up. You slide it, thinking green side up. Cutting off the green and then storing in fridge lets the acid and sugars travel throughout the entire pineapple.
Since doing this I have never had my tongue get that bite feeling.
A friend that lived in Hawaii told me about this.
It DOES work!
Also, invest in a pineapple corer. They are cool gadgets. Makes cutting the pineapple soooo easy.
Attached Thumbnails
Click image for larger version Name: pineapple corer.jpg Views: 177 Size: 2.6 KB ID: 2017
__________________
-lucy

YES - please try this. It DOES work. I had to stop eating raw pineapple years ago until my daughter turned me on to this...