canned, but offer few clues to determine when they're at their best. To avoid getting a

pineapple that is old, you need to know what to look for. You will need Method of transport

tags and keen senses. Step 1. Look for pineapples with labels or tags that identify them as

"jets" or "jet fresh" if you don't live in the Hawaiian tropics. Pineapples don't get

any riper than when they're harvested, and are subject to bruises and rot during transit.

The freshest pineapples are flown by jet to their destinations. Step 2. Look for bright

gold color on the skin's eyes around the base of the pineapple. It is possible for a ripe

pineapple to be green, but it is also possible for a green pineapple to not be ripe. If the

pineapple is reddish-bronze in color, it is overripe. The stem end of the pineapple is

the ripest, and the higher up the pineapple the yellow color goes, the more even the flavor

will be. Step 3. Consider the pineapple's appearance. Wrinkled skin indicates overripe

fruit. Step 4. Smell the pineapple at its base. A ripe pineapple will emit a slight,

pleasant pineapple aroma. If the pineapple smells of vinegar or acetone, it is beginning

to rot. Step 5. Feel the pineapple's skin. A ripe pineapple's skin should be firm and

slightly yielding. Mushy skin indicates deterioration. Step 6. Avoid buying pineapples showing other

signs of deterioration, such as leakage, mold, cracks, gumminess, and brown, withered leaves.

Did you know Pineapples are about 80 percent water.