How to choose the right tasty and ripe watermelon , what signs should you pay attention to? This material will help you choose sweet watermelons with juicy pulp without a high concentration of dangerous nitrates.
First rule: watermelon season.
It is best to buy watermelons at the end of summer, then this berry no longer contains many nitrates and will bring maximum benefit, joy and pleasure.
Second rule:"right" places.
It is recommended to buy melons and watermelons only in special places that are intended for trade in melons: in equipped tents and shops. Such tents must have a hanging awning, and fruits and berries must be placed on special flooring, at least 14 cm above the ground surface.
Third rule: unharmed and whole.
When buying a watermelon, you need to carefully examine it from all sides, you need to make sure that the fruit is not damaged. There should be no bruises, cracks or other visible defects on it, and even more so, the fruit should not be rotten.
Fourth rule: fruit size.
Many buyers, when choosing a watermelon or melon, are guided by the size of the fruit, but this is absolutely no guarantee of good taste and ripeness.
Fifth rule: shiny hard crust.
A mature minke has a hard and shiny crust that is difficult to pierce with a fingernail.
Sixth rule: degree of banding.
To buy a good watermelon, you definitely need to pay attention to how striped the watermelon is. After all, the more contrasting the color of the watermelon rind, the more ripe it is.
Seventh rule: yellow spot on the side.
As a rule, while the watermelon is ripening in the field, it “lays down” on one side and a light spot forms there. If the fruit is ripe, the spot is painted bright yellow; sometimes the spot turns orange.
Eighth rule: dry tail.
A dry tail has always been a sign that the watermelon is ripe. When ripe, the watermelon seems to “disconnect” from the bush by drying out the tail. But do not forget that such a dry tail can also occur in fruits that have been picked a long time ago and they will not necessarily be ripe.
Ninth rule: Who tastes better - a “boy” or a “girl”?
As you know, there are “boys” and “girls” among watermelons. If it is a “boy”, then on the side opposite the tail, the bottom of the fruit is slightly convex, while for “girls” the bottom is flat and decorated with a wide circle. It is believed that “girls” are tastier and sweeter, they contain more sugar and many fewer seeds.
Tenth rule:“ringing” watermelons.
If the watermelon is already ripe, then when tapped it makes a ringing sound rather than a dull sound.
That's all the secrets to choosing a delicious watermelon. Before serving it on the table you need this sweet and fragrant berry Be sure to wash under running water.
In the photo: 8 the eight most important signs of a ripe watermelon:
How to choose watermelon without nitrates?
Some unscrupulous melon growers, fertilizing the soil with nitrates, often exceed permissible norms in pursuit of rapid fruit ripening and quick yield.
So, you should be alert to the following signs that will help you avoid food poisoning"chemical" watermelons:
- bright yellow fibers that run from the rind of the watermelon to the core;
- excessively bright red color with a purple tint;
- Instead of sparkling grains on the cut there is a smooth, too glossy surface.
August is the time of long-awaited watermelons. And the most actual question season - how to choose ripe and delicious watermelon? The seller can already assure you in June that he has a super early berry variety. The purchase will indeed turn out to have juicy and bright red pulp, but nitrates and other chemicals clearly helped such a watermelon to ripen. Therefore, it is better not to give in to temptation until the end of the season. Natural melons will be available for sale only in August.
Perhaps, choosing a sweet fruit is a whole science. How to determine the ripeness of a watermelon and choose a berry without nitrates? Let's study it together.
How to determine the ripeness of a watermelon
By appearance
A good watermelon is one that has bright stripes and a shiny rind. Pay attention to external damage to the fetus. If it is cracked or dented, then bacteria may have already penetrated the pulp. This watermelon is dangerous to health. Clothing should be so hard that it is difficult to scratch it with a fingernail. And one more thing: prefer a round watermelon to an oblong one.
According to the size and color of the earthen spot
Look for a watermelon that has a yellow spot on the side - this is where the berry came into contact with the ground. The color should be reddish, yellow or light brown. But a white earthen spot indicates that the watermelon is not ripe. The spot size should ideally be between 5 and 10 cm.
On a dry stalk
The tail of a watermelon is like the umbilical cord of a newborn: through it the fetus receives nutrients. In fact, when the watermelon ripens, it itself should fall off the fruit and dry out. Therefore, the green stalk of a store-bought watermelon should alert you - the fruit is clearly not ripe. The tail of a ripe berry will be brittle, check without leaving the cash register!
By weight
Many people believe that large watermelons are the most delicious. And they are right. The large mass of the watermelon indicates its ripeness. For some varieties, a weight of 10-17 kg is considered the norm. But there is a reasonable limit to everything: the abnormally huge watermelon was most likely grown using artificial feeding. Look for a middle ground.
By sound
Many people know the old-fashioned way - lightly tap the watermelon. This is the main sign of a ripe watermelon. If the sound is loud when tapped, and the watermelon rind springs a little when struck, feel free to buy it! But a dull sound, on the contrary, should alert you - the watermelon is most likely unripe.
How to choose a good quality watermelon
Low calories and lots of nutrients. This is about the watermelon that was grown correctly. In the century modern technologies We buy melon berries with fear - this is because of the chemicals used to create artificially ripe watermelons, and also to get rid of pests on melons. How to calculate excess nitrates? Look at the peel. Black and brown spots over the entire surface indicate the presence of nitrogen salts. Did the fruit look nice? Test it at home after cutting. If the color of the pulp is unevenly red and with purple spots, then the watermelon has an excess of nitrates. This will also be indicated by multi-colored seeds (black and white in one berry) as well as yellow veins from the rind to the pulp.
There is one more secret: the cut pulp of a “correct” watermelon will have grains, like sugar, but a watermelon containing nitrates has unnaturally glossy insides.
To make sure your sweet purchase is safe, try a simple experiment at home: lower the piece watermelon pulp into a glass of water and crush the pulp. Cloudy water indicates the naturalness of the berry; the water has turned red - an indicator of the presence of nitrates. This is the best way to check watermelons.
- The most natural watermelons appear on sale only in mid-August.
- It is better to buy watermelons in the store. If you go to the market, then avoid the seller whose watermelons are lying right on the ground.
- Don't buy watermelons on the highway. Car exhaust fumes do not have the best effect on the safety of the product.
- Refuse to buy a cut watermelon, even if the half has been carefully tightened cling film. Bacteria actively develop under it. It is generally unknown whether the person who cut it observed hygiene.
- Press the fruit from above and below: if you hear a crackling sound, then the watermelon is tasty and ripe.
We wish you delicious watermelons and a pleasant summer!
Your health depends on how well you choose the watermelon. And since the sunny berry season will soon be in full swing, in today’s article we will look at this issue in detail.
After all, we all want to enjoy ripe, sweet and amazingly tasty watermelon without fear for our health. And each of us wants to eat only environmentally friendly fruit, without nitrates and pesticides. Well, this is quite possible if you take a responsible approach to choosing southern berries.
All members of my family love to eat juicy watermelon. At the same time, we always try to get the maximum benefit from it and preferably without harm to health. This is especially important for those who, like ours, have small children growing up in their families. After all, in order to give a baby (especially under the age of three) sunberries, you need to be confident in its quality and safety.
Juicy and ripe southern berries have a number of characteristic features:
How to choose a ripe and sweet watermelon without nitrates?
Nitrates are dangerous, primarily because they tend to accumulate not only in fruit crops, but also in the human body. Worse, when they accumulate in large quantities, oxygen starvation, poisoning, and even death can occur. Therefore, it is very important to choose ripe and sweet watermelon without nitrates, which unscrupulous producers like to use, especially when growing early fruits.
The easiest way to check sunberries for the presence of nitrates is to purchase a special device, the compact size of which will allow you to carry it with you always. If you don’t have a nitrate meter, then as soon as you get home, put the watermelon in a bowl of water: the ripe and sweet fruit will not drown. If the berry drowns, return it to the seller immediately!
Watermelon grown by reputable producers will have a grainy, moderately reddish color when cut. Most of the seeds will be dark, not white.
If the flesh of the berry is bright pink or even purple, and the seeds are predominantly white, be careful: this is a watermelon stuffed with big amount nitrates Remember the main thing: if the fruit raises doubts about its quality, it is better to refuse the purchase and choose another one!
Choosing a sweet, ripe and good watermelon based on sound and appearance
First, pay close attention to its peel. It should be hard to the touch, and there should be no chips, cracks or damage. The rind of a good berry is not matte, shines in the sun, but does not have a waxy coating.
The sweet and ripe fruit has a yellowish spot on the peel, which is formed from lying on the ground. At the same time, the striped pattern itself is clear, bright and not blurry. Please note: the more saturated green color has a rind, the more likely the watermelon is of excellent quality!
In addition, be sure to look for black spots or puncture marks on the peel. The fact is that to give watermelon a marketable appearance, some sellers use saltpeter injections.
To determine by sound whether a berry is ripe, you need to place it on one hand and gently tap with the other. If the fruit makes a dull sound, which at the same time radiates into the hand on which the watermelon is located, then feel free to buy it!
Tips for choosing a good and ripe watermelon when buying at the market
Bazaars and markets are full of unscrupulous sellers who strive to sell you low-quality fruit at a high price. Examine and “listen” to the berry as described in this article, and you will already save yourself from purchasing a low-quality product.
Trying watermelon when buying it at the market, as our mothers and grandmothers did, is absolutely not worth it. The fact is that a knife unwashed during the day, which is used to cut the fruit “to try”, and the heat are good sources, creating a favorable environment for the proliferation of pathogenic bacteria.
If you don't have a nitrate meter, I advise you to take a bottle of water and a few glasses with you to the market. These simple and handy tools will allow you to determine the presence or absence of nitrate in the selected watermelon.
So, ask the seller to cut you a piece of pulp from a “test” watermelon. Pour half a glass of water and dip the fruit in it. If the water becomes only slightly cloudy after 2-3 minutes, then you can take this watermelon. If the water becomes colored, go to another seller, because this berry is full of nitrates!
Of course, with this approach, you can spend a lot of time choosing one watermelon, but it’s worth it, because you don’t want poisoning and other health problems from eating low-quality berries, right?
Video about how to choose a ripe, sweet and tasty watermelon in a store
When choosing a southern berry in a store, first ask where it came from. Ask to see the quality certificate for the watermelon being sold, since legal retail outlets must certainly have one. If it is not there, I do not advise you to risk your health by making a purchase in such a store.
In supermarkets, sunny berries must be selected as carefully as in markets. At the same time, do not forget to keep the purchase receipt so that you can return the low-quality fruit or make a claim to the seller in case of watermelon poisoning.
To make the process of choosing a juicy berry more clear to you, I found an excellent video for you. Be sure to watch it - there the expert explains in detail and shows all the nuances of checking a watermelon for quality and ripeness.
Life hacks from experts on choosing a good watermelon
Watermelon experts have their own tricks for choosing a good berry. First of all, they advise paying attention to the stain on the peel. If it has a diameter of 5-7 cm and a yellow or light orange color, then the fruit is ripe and tasty. If the mark is white, the berry is not quite ripe.
A ripe watermelon should have a hard rind that is almost impossible to pierce with a fingernail. If you manage to pierce the berry with the slightest pressure, it means that they want to sell you an unripe fruit.
When you turn it in your hands, it should feel firm to the touch on all sides. When choosing a watermelon, choose the “girl” one, as it is sweeter. The fact is that the southern berry has two sexes. How can one find a female fruit among its fruits? Pay attention to the bottom (where there is no tail) of the watermelon - it should be flatter than that of the “boys”.
When buying sunberries, pay close attention to the place of sale. It is very important that the retail outlet is equipped with a canopy and special pallets with a height of at least 0.2 meters for storing fruits.
Choosing a ripe watermelon in the garden (melon)
The most reliable indicator of the ripeness of a berry in a garden bed is a completely dry tendril opposite it, that is, the closest one to it. At the same time, the tail remains green, not yellow!
The place where the fruit comes into contact with the ground should have a yellowish or orange tint. In addition, the watermelon rind must be hard. This indicates that the berry is ripe.
Be sure to watch the following video if you want to learn how to accurately determine the ripeness of a southern melon fruit and choose the most delicious one.
How to choose the right delicious watermelon in October?
In October, the watermelon season comes to an end, so, as a rule, they are no longer unripe. However, there are several nuances to choosing southern berries in the fall.
So, in October you should buy the most immature fruit, in your opinion, which is characterized by an almost complete absence of a yellowish spot on the rind and a green tail. The fact is that by the end of the season it is not recommended to choose a fully ripe fruit, since in this case it will certainly be overripe and tasteless.
At the same time, what’s good about autumn watermelons is that they no longer contain nitrates and pesticides, which give them a marketable appearance at the beginning of the season. But the benefits and taste certainly remain!
Do you know how to choose the right watermelon so as not to get poisoned by it? If you have your own secrets that were not discussed in this article, be sure to share your useful experience in the comments. See you again!
It is recommended to buy watermelons from reliable sellers, and the berries should be protected from dust and not piled up near the road. Some buyers try it to determine the ripeness of watermelons, but this should not be done, because along with the juicy pulp you can introduce harmful microorganisms into your body that have fallen onto the slice from the environment. For sanitary reasons, it is not recommended to purchase watermelons with a crack, even a small one, or bruises. These places can serve as an excellent breeding ground for pathogenic bacteria.
Some watermelon producers add significant amounts of fertilizers, especially nitrogen, to the soil to obtain increased yields. As a result of such events, the fruits develop intensively and become large, but they, as a rule, are immature and pose a danger to human health. Each seller must have a certificate confirming the absence of harmful substances in watermelons. Sometimes nitrates are injected into the fruit with a syringe to speed up the ripening of the pulp, but in this case you can see the puncture site.
If nitrates are introduced from the soil, then it was previously impossible to determine their presence without cutting the fruit. However, now there are nitrate meters on sale - devices that will show the nitrate content in watermelon. It is useful to have a nitrate meter on the farm to measure the levels of these substances when purchasing all vegetables and fruits.
Usually, when cutting a natural watermelon without the use of chemicals, you can find black seeds, and the presence of harmful substances is revealed by insufficiently sweet and light pulp and unripe seeds. U natural product when broken, the granular middle is exposed, while the fruit, overfed with fertilizers, contains a significant amount of fiber. The presence of white veins usually indicates a lack of heat during ripening, and yellow formations indicate an excess of mineral fertilizers. If the watermelon pulp is too bright, you need to cut off a piece and stir it in water. Typically, a change in the color of the liquid indicates artificial coloring.
How to determine the ripeness of a watermelon by appearance
A fully ripe watermelon should weigh within 6 kilograms, but smaller fruits can also be ripe, but they need to be further tested. It is better not to take berries of significant weight if you do not plan to eat everything on the day of purchase, because cut fruit can be stored in the refrigerator for no more than a day. Melon growers say that irregularly shaped watermelons are often much sweeter than standard ones.
When any variety of watermelon ripens, the color of the stripes on its rind acquires a contrast with the main color. When choosing, pay special attention to the spot where the fruit touches the ground - in ripe and sweet watermelons it is yellow with a diameter of 10 centimeters or more, in unripe ones it is white. The rind of sweet, fully ripe watermelons can be easily scraped off with a fingernail.
The stalk of a ripe fruit is yellowish and dry, while that of an unripe watermelon is green. With an experienced eye, you can determine how the tail of the fruit separated from the main stem - by itself or it was torn off for a long time; a cut with a knife is more difficult to determine. If a watermelon does not have a tail, then it was removed on purpose, so it is not recommended to buy such a fruit.
Other signs of a ripe watermelon include a dull sound when tapped on the fruit, a characteristic cracking sound when pressed, as well as a coating on the surface. The density of the fruit pulp decreases during ripening, so a high-quality berry does not sink in water.
When do watermelons ripen?
The ripening period of watermelon berries depends on the variety and other biological characteristics of this crop. Under standard growing conditions in warm regions, the crops in question begin to ripen in mid-summer, but are harvested selectively. Melon growers pay attention to the fact that berries intended for transportation over long distances are picked a few days from the moment of physiological ripeness.
Midsummer is the approximate period for the first watermelons to ripen. In fact, it all depends on many factors: the growing region, the variety used, soil conditions, as well as technology (plants can develop and produce crops in unprotected soil or greenhouses). Depending on the selected variety, from the moment of germination to the appearance of the first harvest, it can take from 65 (for early ripening watermelons) to 100 days (for late varieties).
The most delicious berries with sweet pulp are obtained in the southern regions of our country, when grown on light sandy soils, and it is absolutely useless to grow such varieties of watermelons in the middle zone or Siberia, where loamy and cold soils are present. Crops that will be planted in the climatic zones considered will not only ripen late, but will also not have time to accumulate a sufficient amount of sugar, and the fruits will be lopsided. It has been noted that the ripening of watermelons may be delayed in the event of a rainy summer and an imbalance in positive temperatures. In such situations, to speed up the ripening process, a frame is placed over the crops and a transparent plastic film is stretched.
Tips for choosing a sweet and ripe watermelon - video
Watermelon attracts not only its taste. It is rich in easily digestible sugars, mainly fructose, microelements (magnesium, potassium, etc.), and pectin substances. IN watermelon a lot of folic acid - 150 g of fruit is enough to meet the daily need for this vitamin. Distinctive property watermelon is his low calorie content: 100 g of the edible part of the fruit contains only 27 kilocalories. The pulp of the unique berry quenches thirst well. When it’s hot, we lose not only water, but also a number of microelements through sweat, so it’s valuable that watermelon, unlike many drinks, it replaces our losses in both liquid and microelements, and increases the body’s resistance to hot weather. Availability in watermelon large quantity Fiber helps proper bowel function and improves digestion. Fiber in watermelon gentle, so it works very delicately. And one more useful substance provides us watermelon. We are talking about lycopene - a natural antioxidant, a representative of a large group of substances that are mainly found in products of plant origin and are known for their antitumor effects. Good watermelon- valuable dietary product, which can be recommended to people of any age. It is a diuretic and choleretic agent, has a healing effect for diseases of the liver, gall bladder, kidneys and urinary tract. Delicate fiber and low acidity allows you to consume watermelons those who suffer from gastritis (inflammation of the gastric mucosa), gastroduodenitis (inflammation of the stomach and duodenum mucosa).
Where do bad watermelons come from?
Recently, relations with watermelon have changed somewhat. This caution, it must be said, is not unfounded. Do watermelon Improper storage conditions and violation of trade rules can also be hazardous to health. Experts say the first thing to be wary of is roadside watermelon dumps where substandard goods or goods rejected by trade and sanitary inspectors are collected. According to the rules, roadside trade in melons and melons is generally prohibited, and goods must be confiscated from such points. A few hours are enough to watermelons absorbed heavy metals contained in automobile exhausts. According to the rules, the place of trade must be fenced and under a canopy. Watermelons should be laid out on sales trays and not piled on the ground. In carelessly sketched watermelons Dirt and pathogens can penetrate through microcracks. The seller must have permission from the sanitary-epidemiological station (SES) to trade and a medical record. Finally, a certificate of compliance of the goods sold with the requirements of the standard is required. After reviewing the certificate, you can verify the origin watermelon. In addition, the certificate controls the content of mineral fertilizers, the amount of radiation, heavy metals, etc. If a photocopy is made of the certificate, then you should pay attention to the seal, which must be color. If the seal is black, the certificate is fake.
No windows, no doors. The room is full of nitrates
Watermelon, like all melons, is a very grateful plant. Under certain conditions, you can manage to harvest more than one harvest of these berries in one season. But “intensive” farming, the desire to achieve a quick harvest, the largest possible fruits, as well as violations of the rules of transportation, storage and trade turn the dietary product into a source of trouble. To watermelon matured faster and gained weight, craftsmen overfeed it with fertilizers, mainly nitrogen fertilizers - nitrates (salts of nitric acid: sodium, potassium, ammonium, calcium nitrate). The introduction of nitrates into the soil is accompanied by their accumulation in the plant pulp. Both a lack of sun and an abundance of moisture contribute to the accumulation of nitrates. Nitrates themselves are slightly toxic, but they are precursors of N-nitroso compounds, which have the ability to cause cancer, and nitrites. The conversion of nitrates into nitrites occurs in the gastrointestinal tract with the participation of microflora. Some more of them enter the body in finished form: some of the nitrates are already in watermelon is converted to nitrite, which is favored by high humidity. With increasing shelf life, the nitrite content in watermelon increases several times. Nitrites, unlike nitrates, are toxic compounds. They disrupt the transport function of the blood, affecting hemoglobin, the carrier of oxygen to tissues. Hypoxia occurs - oxygen starvation of tissues, which is especially difficult for children, as well as those who suffer from diseases of the cardiovascular, respiratory, and excretory systems.
Clean watermelon is the key to health
Often the cause of unpleasant consequences from eating watermelons we are ourselves. On the peel watermelon Particles of soil, dust, and various microorganisms are retained, so a fruit that is not thoroughly washed can cause an intestinal infection. Should not buy watermelons with damaged rind or already cut. Bacteria quickly multiply on the sweet surface of a damaged fruit in the presence of air (even a small wound is enough), and when such food is eaten watermelon Gastrointestinal disorders may occur. In addition, it is often watermelon not eaten immediately and should be stored cut when room temperature. Under these conditions, microorganisms also begin to multiply on the surface of the fruit.
Trouble from watermelon
Unfortunately, today no one can guarantee good quality watermelon 100 percent, unless you personally raised it. Since the consequences of eating a low-quality product are very serious, it should not be offered to children under 2 years of age. The younger the child, the less protected his body is from adverse effects - microbes, nitrates, toxins, the more severe the consequences can be. For older children watermelon It is advisable to offer it during its natural ripening period - at the end of August, in the fall. By this date watermelons already ripen without fertilizers, and taste qualities they are much higher during this period. For a child 2-3 years old, 80-100 g is enough watermelon, for a child 3-6 years old - 100-150 g. Poor quality watermelon may cause gastrointestinal disorders. The time of their appearance ranges from 1-2 hours to 1-2 days after consuming the product. The younger the child is, the earlier they can occur. External manifestations of disorders: weakness, lethargy, headache, fever, paroxysmal abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, stool disorder, which can lead to dehydration. Depending on the amount of harmful agent that has entered the body, on age and individual resistance, the disease can occur in different forms. In a mild form, weakness, lethargy, nausea, 1-2 times vomiting and (or) 1-2 times loose stools are observed. Severe disorders in the functioning of organs and systems are accompanied by severe weakness, headache, high fever, repeated vomiting and liquefied stools, leading to dehydration of the body. Before the doctor arrives, the child must be given assistance. The main goal is to give the baby as much more water and thereby reduce the manifestations of the disease. Frequent small drinks are necessary. When a child vomits, they are fed with a teaspoon or even a pipette. It is better to add REHYDRON, GASTROLIT, ENTERODEZ to your drink - specialized compounds for restoring the loss of not only fluid, but also salts. Medicines that can attract harmful substances to themselves and remove them from the body (sorbents) are used - SMEKTA, ENTEROSGEL, POLIFEPAM. For abdominal pain, it is necessary to give medications that relieve intestinal spasms - NO-SHPU, PAPAVERINE, but in no case painkillers (analgesics), such as analgin. It should be remembered that under the guise of poisoning, surgical pathology can often lurk, for example appendicitis - inflammation of the appendix. Taking analgesics can mask the signs of appendicitis, while the pathological process will develop gradually. A late diagnosis can lead to severe complications and can be costly for the child’s health. After a qualified examination, the pediatrician will prescribe the necessary therapy. In severe cases of the disease, the child may require systematic medical supervision and care in a hospital setting.
So how is it? You haven't stopped loving yet watermelons? Well, that's right. And to avoid troubles caused by their use, listen to the advice of a specialist.
- Before you cut watermelon, do not forget to wash it thoroughly warm water with soap.
- Cut watermelon store only in the refrigerator.
- Nitrates accumulate unevenly in different parts of the plant. Research shows that in watermelons The most poisonous pulp is that of the peel, which is about 3 cm thick, so it is better to offer the child the part that is closer to the core.
- When enjoying your favorite product, know when to stop. Balance the quantity watermelon and the age of the child.
Watermelon is valuable and delicious product, capable of delivering true pleasure. But only if it is grown correctly, stored correctly, sold correctly and eaten correctly.
How to store it correctly watermelon
Watermelons are possible long time store in fresh. At proper storage it can decorate the table not only with New Year, but even on March 8th. To do this, you should buy in the fall watermelon weighing no more than 4 kg with a dry tail. It is desirable that the yellow spot on the side be as small as possible. Wash, dry, place watermelon in a net and hang it in a cool, dark place, preferably in a cellar, at a temperature no higher than +5 C so that it does not touch anything. You can, of course, get by with a dark closet in your apartment, but in this case watermelon will only last until the end of the year.
How to choose watermelon. Let's learn to choose watermelons!
- To watermelon brought joy and pleasure, we must remember: best time for purchase watermelon in Russia it is the end of summer and autumn.
- Watermelon should be purchased in places specially designed for trade, in stores, and not in spontaneous markets.
- From watermelons it is better to choose one variety and one batch watermelon large, but not gigantic. The larger and lighter watermelon, the riper it is. When choosing watermelons Too small and too large should be avoided.
- A dry tail is a sign of ripeness. Having matured, watermelon First of all, he “switches off” from the melon - his tail dries up. Then the unnecessary pigment chlorophyll, which captures sunlight and ensures the respiration and development of plants, ceases to be produced, and under the influence of light, light spots appear. This is a sure sign that watermelon ripe.
- A light spot on the side that has rested watermelon, should be as yellow as possible, even orange.
- The striped crust should be as contrasting as possible.
- Ripe watermelon necessarily covered with a hard, shiny crust, which is difficult to pierce with a fingernail, and all because, having “broken” with the melon, watermelon no longer able to absorb moisture and its crust hardens. But if the nail pierces easily watermelon New skin means the fruit is raw, unripe. You can also rub the peel and smell: the smell of freshly cut grass also indicates substandard quality.
- Ripe watermelon always springs under impact and sometimes resonates when tapped. If you knock on it, you hear not a dull sound, but a clear, ringing sound.
- Can be attached watermelon to your ear and squeeze it with your hands as hard as you can. The peel of a ripe berry will bend a little and crack.
- . To check watermelon for ripeness, they throw it into the water, if it floats up, it means ripe.
- Watermelon is a bisexual berry. In the “male” individual, the bottom of the berry is convex, and the circle on it is small. “Girls” have a flatter bottom and a wider circle. “Girls” are considered tastier: they have fewer seeds and more sugar.
SOS signals. Nitrate watermelon.
If watermelon“overfed” with nitrates, he himself signals this to us, showing the following signs:
- intense red color of the pulp with a slight purple tint;
- the fibers that go from the core to the crust are not white, as expected, but with all shades of yellow;
- at the "wrong" watermelon and the cut surface is smooth, glossy, and in the “correct” watermelon it sparkles in grains;
- Grind a piece of watermelon pulp in a glass of water. If watermelon good, the water will just become cloudy. If watermelon"harmful", the water will turn red or pink.
Early foods usually contain more nitrates than in late summer or autumn. Although this depends not only on the season, but also on watering and growing conditions. Permissible norm of nitrates in watermelons- 60 mg per 1 kg.
