Australian Scientists Develop Pineapple That Tastes Like Coconut

Australian scientists have developed a new variety of pineapple that has a coconut flavor, reports ABC News.

Researchers from the Department of Agriculture in Queensland, Australia, have been working for the last 10 years to develop a new breed of pineapple which is juicy, sweet and low acid.

The pineapple called AusFestival, has been dubbed as Piña colada - a sweet rum-based cocktail.

Piña colada cocktails are served using rum, coconut cream and pineapple mixed with ice. In this new pineapple variety there is no need of using coconut, since the pineapple itself gives the taste of coconut. The new breed has the ability to revolutionize cocktail mixology, reports Daily Mail.

"Taste tests tell us that AusFestival is a winner - it has this lovely coconut flavor, which you won't find in any other pineapple in Australia," horticulturalist Garth Senewski told ABC News. "It's sweet, low acid, very juicy."

Researchers did not expect to get a coconut flavor when they developed the new variety of pineapple.

"When we're doing the breeding, we're not actually looking for a coconut-flavored pineapple or any other particular flavor," Senewski said. "We're looking for a variety that is sweet, low acid and aromatic."

A report in Telegraph notes that the Australian government is looking to experiment in creating low-cost tastier pineapples in order to compete with cheaper imports.

Although the production of the new pineapple breed is in final stages, it will take at least two years for the trees to be available commercially for plantation.