1. The Jello and Pineapple Story
by Laura Martin

2. It was Christmas
• Grocery stores were closed.
• I had hungry guests arriving.
• I started cooking lots of food.
• I started making my mandarin orange, walnut,
dried cranberry, raspberry jello mold.
• I realized I forgot to buy the mandarin oranges.
• Oh No!

3. Lucky for me, I had fresh pineapple on
hand…
Or was I not so lucky?

4. • I mixed up the mold, added chopped fresh
pineapple and put my mix in the refrigerator
to set.
• 2 hours later I checked on my mold……..

5. It was still liquid!!!
My mold looked like mixed fruit soup.
WHAT HAPPENED???

6. Well,
After looking at the expiration date on the box of
jello I used (it was OK) and running to Google, I
found:
Pineapple contains a protein degrading enzyme
called bromelain.
Jello contains gelatine which is a protein.
BINGO!
I must have missed this lesson in Chemistry Lab. 

7. Here is a video showing what happens:
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I1sdN_v2
Wbw
• Now, Betty has found a way to remedy this!
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1nfes2DEl
68
• No FRESH Pineapple
• YAY, Betty!

8. Why does canned pineapple work?
Because heat kills the bromelain enzyme, and
canned pineapple is heated as part of the canning
process.
You can read more about the chemistry here:
http://chemistry.about.com/od/foodcookingchemis
try/f/pineapple-jello.htm
As for me, live and learn always.
No jello mold this year for Christmas.
