JSFiddle - React, Tailwind, and code Playground

JavaScript

var arrayString = 'apple | ape | soap',
    text = "This a nice apple tree.";

var array = arrayString.split(" | ");

var matchedArrayItem = "..."; // please help on this

if(matchedArrayItem) {
    $("body").append('The text contains the array item "'+ matchedArrayItem +'".');
}    

$("body").append("<br><br>" + arrayString + "<br>" + text);