PINEBERRY

(Fragaria spp.)

 Pineberry fruits

Family: Rosaceae

Other names:  Pineapple strawberry.

Pineberry is a very new fruit introduced in UK by the Waitrose chain of supermarkets.  This fruit is white replica of strawberry but with a altogether a different flavour.

            This fruit was first discovered by Dutch farmers in wild state in South America.

Description:

The fruits are green in the beginning.  They start changing their colour and are paler towards maturity.  Ultimately, these are white and studded with red seeds. 

            The fruits are sweet and juicy at maturity.  The have flavour somewhat similar to that of pineapple.  This is the reason that this fruit has been christened as pineberry.

Cultivation:

Pineberries are being cultivated in glasshouses in UK and Holland.

Utilization:

Pineberries are smaller than most commercially grown strawberries, measuring between 15 and 23mm across - slightly less than an inch. These can be used as an alternative to their red counterparts in a range of recipes and desserts.

            The fruits are priced at Waitrose stores @ 3.99 British pounds per 125 g pack.