How Do You Tell If A Cantaloupe Is Good Or Not?

How To Tell If Cantaloupe Is Bad?

1. Feel light, hollow, or super soft. If the melon seems empty inside or the rind is soft, it’s lost most of its water and it’s no good.
2. Have large bruises or discolored areas.
3. Smell off.
4. Are cut up and sit in storage for too long or are moldy.

What do rotten cantaloupe look like?

As for the inside of the fruit, when the flesh appears to look dark orange or brown, it’s probably past its prime. If there’s mold on the inside, it should also be tossed. This growth will appear fuzzy in texture and either white or dark in color (via The Whole Portion).

How do you know if cantaloupe is fresh?

Another easy way to tell if cantaloupe is ripe is the smell it gives off. You should give the blossom end of the fruit (the same side you just pressure tested) a good sniff. A ripe cantaloupe will smell sweet, floral, and musky. If the scent is very faint or if there’s no smell at all, then the fruit is not ripe yet.

Can you get sick from overripe cantaloupe?

The bacteria have a long incubation period, which means that it may take as long as four weeks for people who have eaten contaminated cantaloupe to feel ill. Listeriosis typically causes fever and muscle aches, sometimes preceded by diarrhea or other gastrointestinal symptoms.

Can old cantaloupe make you sick?

While melons do not naturally contain bacteria that can make you sick, their outer skin or rind can become contaminated because melons are grown close to the ground. Eating melons that have been contaminated with harmful bacteria can make you sick.

What should a ripe cantaloupe look like?

A ripe cantaloupe should have a beige webbing pattern. That netting should look like raised ridges. And underneath, the cantaloupe should either be cream-colored, sandy gold, yellow, or tan. If the rind is still green or grey, it’s not ripe enough.

Should cantaloupe be refrigerated?

If buying fresh-cut cantaloupe, be sure it is refrigerated or surrounded by ice. After purchase, refrigerate cantaloupes promptly. Wash hands with hot, soapy water before and after handling fresh cantaloupes. Scrub whole cantaloupes by using a clean produce brush and cool tap water immediately before eating.

Will a cantaloupe ripen in the refrigerator?

Will a cantaloupe ripen if it is in the refrigerator overnight? No, it will not ripen once it is in the refrigerator.

When should you not eat cantaloupe?

How To Tell If Cantaloupe Is Bad?

1. Feel light, hollow, or super soft. If the melon seems empty inside or the rind is soft, it’s lost most of its water and it’s no good.
2. Have large bruises or discolored areas.
3. Smell off.
4. Are cut up and sit in storage for too long or are moldy.

How long will cantaloupe keep in the refrigerator?

A whole, uncut cantaloupe or honeydew melon should last for seven to 10 days in the refrigerator. A whole, uncut watermelon is even sturdier: It should be good for two weeks. The picture gets somewhat bleaker once you’ve sliced into your fruit.

Can cantaloupe be poisonous?

Sept. 13, 2011 — Cantaloupe from the Rocky Ford region of Colorado may carry deadly listeria bacteria, the CDC warns.

What happens if I eat spoiled cantaloupe?

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a person infected with the bacteria usually has a fever and muscle aches, which are often preceded by diarrhea or other gastrointestinal symptoms. Additional symptoms can be a headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance and convulsions.

What does mold look like on cantaloupe?

Blackish to blackish-green mold, typically Alternaria spp, will invariably develop over time on cantaloupes, sometimes first observed at the stem scar where nutrients are exuded at the moment of “slip” or harvest.

Does cantaloupe ripen on the counter?

Unlike other fruits, cantaloupes will not ripen once picked from the vine. At the grocery store, then, what you see is what you get: The fruit will not ripen very much once left on the counter at home, so it’s important to pick a good cantaloupe.

Will cantaloupe ripen after cut up?

While there isn’t a way to “ripen” a cantaloupe after it has been cut, you should know that cantaloupe farmers around the world have been working with plant breeders on new varieties that have a longer shelf life.

How do you keep cantaloupe fresh longer?

The optimal relative humidity is 95 to 100 percent, which prevents drying. If possible, place cantaloupe in the refrigerator crisper, where the humidity tends to be higher. Under these conditions, freshly harvested cantaloupe, picked at full slip, lasts about 5 to 15 days, depending on variety and growing conditions.

What are the benefits of eating cantaloupe?

The fiber, potassium, and vitamin C present in cantaloupe are vital nutrients for your heart health. Potassium can help to lower high blood pressure, which is a risk factor for heart disease. Fiber helps to decrease levels of “bad cholesterol” in your body. It can also keep your blood pressure in check.

How do you ripen a cantaloupe quickly?

Set the cantaloupe in a paper bag once you want to speed up the ripening process. Keep it at room temperature during this process. Place ethylene-producing fruits such as an apple or banana in the paper bag with the cantaloupe to further speed up the ripening.

How do you make cantaloupe sweeter?

The salt brings out what little flavor a bad melon has and compensates for any lack of sweetness. It works, truly—trust me. Since, I’ve introduced this idea to the office, and it turns out there are even other ways to gussy up an otherwise drab melon. Some swear by a squeeze of fresh lemon or lime juice.

What can you do with hard cantaloupe?

Uses for an Unripe Cantaloupe

1. Turning it into a soup — with mangos, or a white gazpacho with grapes and almonds.
2. Making a melon jam or chutney.
3. Using it as a thick base for a smoothie, or blending it with lime juice and honey for cantaloupe agua fresca.

How long can a cantaloupe sit on the counter?

Cantaloupe shelf life:
When the number is kept on the counter, it decreases to about four days. The freshness of the melon can be preserved by storing it in a cool, dark place. Keep the fruit whole to extend its shelf life. Cut fruit will keep in the fridge for three or four days.