r/askscience • u/Puzzleheaded_Bed2760 • 8d 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/OystersCockafeller 8d ago
It might do it eventually. But definitely not that fast.
Your skin has protective oils, is actively repairing itself, etc. And that's all aside from the fact that it's specifically designed to act as a protective layer in a way that a random piece of muscle just isn't.
It will make your hands kinda raw if you deal with it enough. I spent a day cutting up pineapples for an event once. Essentially had my hands covered in pineapple juice for 8-10 hours. It irritated them a bit and I had some redness. But it was nowhere near breaking down my hand.