Ever wondered why it feels like you just rubbed sand paper on your tongue after eating pineapple? Or super itchy and scratchy?
A TikTok creator, SF Microscopy, has put a chunk of pineapple under the microscope to answer the question.
It turns out, there’s a bunch of little swords in pineapples! Also known as raphides. The TikTok creator explains “These crystals of calcium oxalate poke holes in your cell membranes causing irritation!”
The theory behind the stabbing pricks is that the plant is damaged and sap or saliva will trigger the expulsion of these needles. So all this time, pineapples have been fighting back when we’re eating them. Great.
@sf_microscopy One of my favorite fruits is pineapple, but every time I eat them, my mouth tingles. I read that the fruit contains raphides! Kiwis, grapes, taro, and yams also have large amounts of these crystals. These needles serve as a defensive function against insect herbivors to deter them from eating the plant’s fruits and protect the seeds. The needles work with other chemcial substances, like bromelain in the pineapple, to amplify the effects. #microscope #microbiology #underthemicroscope #microscopy #microcosmos #nature #pineapple #crystals #fyp #fypage #fypシ ♬ Sunshine – WIRA
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