The Cultivar: Queen Victoria
The scientific name for pinapple is Ananas Cosmosus, a member of the Bromeliaceae
family.The family contains more than 2,100 species placed in 46 genera, but the
most ecomically important species is the pineapple.
There are four major varieties of pineapples:
• Smooth Cayenne
• Queen Victoria
• Red Spanish
• Pernambuco
All varieties of pineapple have bumpy diamond-patterned skins.
They
are primarily grown in Hawaii, Brazil, Costa Rica, Honduras, Mexico, Dominican Republic,
El Salvador, Ecuador, Nicaragua, Australia, Malaysia, China, Indonesia, Thailand
and South Africa.
The following pineapple varieties are grown commercially in South
Africa:
• The Queen Victoria pineapple (Queen for short)
• The Smooth Cayenne pineapple
The Cayenne pineapple is usually processed and used
for juice and canning. The Cayenne pineapple has smooth leaves and can reach up
to 6kg.
The Queen Pineapple is very popular, sweeter and more palatable to be eaten
fresh. The Queen Pineapple has thorny leaves and is generally smaller in size than
the cayenne. The Queen is grown primarily for the local and overseas fresh fruit
markets.
Pineapple Nutritious Facts Per 200 grams (3 slices)
• Virtually fat free
• Energy : 494 kilojoules (117 Calories) volume wise a low source of
energy
• Fibre : 3.6 gram
• Vitamin C : 86 mg (143% of the RDA for adults)
• Sugar free : sweetness provided by fructose
• Contains the enzyme : Bromelain (present in raw pineapple or freshly
squeezed
pineapple juice)
Vitamin C
• Helps white blood cells fight off infection.
• Helps the body to absorb iron. Iron is needed to make haemoglobin, the
red pigment
in the blood, which transports oxygen from the lungs to the
rest of the body.
• Antioxidant properties help protect the body from harmful effects of too
many
free radicals.
• Helps form and maintain collagen which holds together the cells in your
body.
Vitamin C cannot be stored in the body as it is excreted in the urine within 2 to
3 hours after it has been taken. To ensure optimal health sufficient daily amounts
should be taken.
Pineapples are an excellent source of Vitamin C!
STANDARDS
Queen pineapples are inspected and tested continuously on the local and export markets
to ensure the highest quality and consumer safety. Certifications for exporting
pineapples are done to comply with the following standards:
• Globalgap
• Nature’s Choice
•
Field to Fork
ORGANIC
Due to the world focus on sustainable agriculture and the effect of chemicals on
the environment, a number of producers have been changing their farming practices
to organic.
Organic certification is done by Ecocert and complies with European
Union Organic standards. Soil preparation includes the use of rotational crops such
as sorghum and sunhemp to adequately control nematode populations. Organic fertilizers
are applied in conjunction with biodegradable paper to ensure organic standards
are met.
Contact the office for details of organic certified producers.
The above details are given as a guideline and the association
cannot be held responsible for the validity of figures quoted.
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