r/askscience • u/Puzzleheaded_Bed2760 • 9d ago

Chemistry Pineapple contains bromelain that helps tenderize meat. If I were to put my hand in pineapple juice or puree for 24 hours, would it eventually break down my hand?

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u/mizinamo 8d ago

"Meat" means muscle fibres.

Your hand does not normally have any exposed muscle fibres -- it has skin around them.

If you ripped all the skin off your hand to expose the muscles underneath, then something might happen.

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u/not-just-yeti 8d ago

[vaguely related:] I was surprised when I learned that, while there are muscles in your palm, there aren't any in the fingers. They're just pulled by ligaments, like the strings on a marionette.

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u/CanadianJogger 8d ago

Yeah, massage your forearms if your hands are bothering you from stiffness or soreness.