Can I eat the skin of yellow fruit?

The answer

It depends on the fruit. Apple and pear skin is commonly eaten, while banana, pineapple and melon rinds are not. Citrus zest, the thin colored outer layer, is widely used for flavor, ideally from unwaxed fruit or fruit scrubbed well under warm water. Mango skin contains compounds related to those in poison ivy, so a few sensitive people react to handling it. Wash fruit before cutting, even when you do not eat the skin.