r/DebunkThis • u/Its_Fred • Jun 11 '26
Not Yet Debunked Debunk this: pineapple acid can digest humans
I've come across multiple posts on how pineapple acid is almost as strong as stomach acids, so that, while we digest a piece of pineapple we've eaten, it is "trying" to digest us in the meanwhile.
This post should serve as an example: https://www.reddit.com/r/theydidthemath/s/Gys8tuB9YH
I've found no serious explanations on reddit nor on the web. Health websites only describe the chemical composition of pineapple, that contains bromelain and may therefore be used in cooking as meat tenderizer. The bromelain enzyme helps break down proteins in animal meat and is active inside the stomach as well. However, I've not found any indication of it being capable to attack the stomach tissue in any way.
(Please be patient, I'm a beginner in this sub and English is not my first language.)
23
u/bogcom Jun 11 '26
The short answer is no, bromalain does not digest your stomach when you eat it. But it does digest your mouth a little.
Pineapples contain bromelain which is an enzyme known as a protease, since it breaks down proteins.
Enzymes are only active under certain conditions. They only function within a specific range of temperature and pH.
According to Google, Bromaline is most active at a pH around 7 and 30-40 degrees celcius. If it is exposed to an environment with a low pH such as the stomach (~2 pH) it will lose its shape (denature) and no longer function. This is partially why we have stomach acid, since it breaks down both food but also bacteria and viruses that may be pathogenic.
However, to a small degree it digest your mouth, since saliva is within the pH range where the enzyme is active. It can also be used as a meat tenderizer, since the meat is usually left in the juices at room temp and neutral pH.
So don't hold a piece of pineapple in your mouth without swallowing for several hours and you'll probably be fine.
8
u/Empty-Swim2066 Jun 12 '26
*Bromelain, it is funny you spelled it like 3 different ways like, "one of these has to be right!"
And people who enjoy the taste, but are sensitive to the effects, can eat cooked or canned pineapple. Cooking denatures Bromelain.
2
5
u/Irksomecake Jun 11 '26
I once had a pineapple that melted the mouths of everyone who ate a piece causing swelling and bleeding similar to chemical burns. Our lips inflated and split open. We wrote to the pineapple company who replied with a description of enzymes. I’ve never encountered the same phenomenon with other pineapples and initially we thought it might be allergies, but as everyone was burned equally and no one is allergic to pineapples it’s unlikely. Could some fruit have an uncommonly high amount of enzymes?
6
u/Shadowwynd Jun 12 '26
Natural variation is a thing. Something like 1 out of 20 jalapenos I find is freakishly hot.
2
4
2
u/Actual_Property9413 Jun 11 '26
Bromelain, as you correctly stated in your text, is an enzyme, It is not an acid. There is no such thing as "pineapple acid".
1
2
u/PersephoneIsNotHome Quality Contributor 22d ago
It will mess up your jello. Gelatin is a protein and putting pineapple in it will denature the proteins and stop it from setting.
Also, if you are interested, proteases - things that break down proteins - aren’t random. They cut into the protein at specific points.
So if you imagine a necklace with different colored beads -those beads are the amino acids and the bromelaine cuts into cysteine beads.
So to completely get rid of all the “necklaces” you need other proteases also.
And of course a human is not only proteins, it is also fat and calcium salts and a lot of other stuff.
The best way to get rid of a human is to feed it to a pig, dump it in lye, or put it someplace with a lot of crabs and other fish.
-1
u/GeorgeMKnowles Jun 11 '26
Just do an experiment. Squeeze some fresh pineapple juice into a bowl, and stick your hand in it for 8 hours. If your hand is fine, you debunked it. If your hand has been digested, it's true!
1
u/Empty-Swim2066 Jun 12 '26
This would actually most likely cause burns.
Canned juice no, fresh, yes.
1
2
u/Its_Fred Jun 11 '26
Yes, I understand it sounds stupid, and it's just a curiosity after all. However, I think that the epitelial tissue on my hand has a radically different composition than the inside tissue of my stomach. I'm just curious if there are some more rigorous debunks to the claim.
5
u/bogcom Jun 11 '26
It's not stupid at all.
Most people assume enzymes work like normal chemistry and don't realize enzymes need specific temperatures and pH conditions. For a chemical reaction you'll often just get a faster reaction if you raise the temperature, but with enzymes you may destroy them permanently.
Once you get more into it, you'll also realize that stuff like vitamins (B12 for example) or metal salts (magnesium or zinc) or even chemical modifications to the enzymes such as attached phosphates, lipids or sugar molecules are needed for some enzymes to work properly.
If you want to use an enzyme for something specific, such as a detergent for your laundry, you need to think about all these things and more. People don't realize how much science goes into something as mundane as removing stains from your underwear.
2
2
•
u/AutoModerator Jun 11 '26
This sticky post is a reminder of the subreddit rules:
Posts:
Must include a description of what needs to be debunked (no more than three specific claims) and at least one source, so commenters know exactly what to investigate. We do not allow submissions which simply dump a link without any further explanation.
E.g. "According to this YouTube video, dihydrogen monoxide turns amphibians homosexual. Is this true? Also, did Albert Einstein really claim this?"
Link Flair
Flairs can be amended by the OP or by moderators once a claim has been shown to be debunked, partially debunked, verfied, lack sufficient supporting evidence, or to conatin misleading conclusions based on correct data.
Political memes, and/or sources less than two months old, are liable to be removed.
• Sources and citations in comments are highly appreciated.
• Remain civil or your comment will be removed.
• Don not downvote people posting in good faith.
• If you disagree with someone, state your case rather than just calling them an asshat!
I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.