If you’ve ever bit into a juicy, ripe pineapple, you know how delicious the fruit can be. But what makes it so sweet? Scientists have been researching this question for years, and now, a new study says they have the answer.

The study, published in the journal Nature Communications, reveals that the main compound responsible for pineapple’s sweet flavor is a sugar called fructose. Fructose is found in nearly all fruits and vegetables, but in pineapple, it is especially high. This makes the fruit taste especially sweet. The researchers believe this could be due to the fact that pineapple has more sugar transporters—the proteins that move sugar molecules into cells—than other fruits.

The team also discovered that pineapple’s sweetness is further enhanced because of its low levels of acids, which can give fruit a sour flavor. Pineapple, it turns out, has unusually low levels of acids, allowing the sweetness of fructose to really shine through.

So, the next time you bite into a piece of pineapple, you can appreciate it even more knowing that the sweet flavor comes from its fructose content and low levels of acids.

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source: Phys.org