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How
do I choose a perfect cantaloupe?
How
should cantaloupes be stored at home?
I've heard that cantaloupes can cause food poisoning.
Is that true?
How do I know if the cantaloupe I buy is safe?
How
should cantaloupes be prepared at home
to ensure they are safe to eat?
Are there quality standards for cantaloupes?
What else should I know about California cantaloupes?
How
do I choose a perfect cantaloupe?
Cantaloupes can be identified by the characteristic system of ridges that
encompass the outside of the rind and look almost as if the fruit is covered
in a net. Look for cantaloupes with prominent, cream-colored ridges and
select those that are free of bruising. It is perfectly normal for one
side to be lighter in color or to have smoother ridges where the cantaloupe has
touched the ground as it grows in the field. The stem end of the
cantaloupe should be smooth and well rounded. When ripe, this stem end
will yield to light pressure. Another sure sign of a tasty, ripe melon
is its sweet, musky aroma.
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How
should cantaloupes be stored at home?
Refrigerate ripe melons, but do not freeze. It is best not to cut a cantaloupe until you
are ready to eat it. If you need to return cut melon to the refrigerator,
do not remove the seeds from the remaining sections as they keep the flesh
from drying out. Cut melon should be wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and
put back in the refrigerator immediately.
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I've
heard that cantaloupes can cause food poisoning. Is that true?
There has never been a foodborne illness outbreak associated with California
cantaloupes. As with many other fresh produce items, cantaloupes are normally
eaten fresh without cooking. This means that should the melon become contaminated
with a foodborne pathogen it will not be destroyed by cooking. There have
been outbreaks associated with cantaloupes from other growing regions,
including a Salmonella outbreak in 2002 linked to cantaloupes from southern
Mexico that affected consumers in the United States and Canada. Since
then, U.S. and Canadian governments have issued import exclusion on all
Mexican cantaloupes requiring that exporters certify their cantaloupes
are produced under proper conditions before they can be shipped to North
American markets.
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How
do I know if the cantaloupe I buy is safe?
Recognizing their responsibility to provide consumers with a safe, wholesome
product, California cantaloupe shippers initiated an ambitious food safety
program in 1999. After much research and product testing, University of
California scientists have determined that the likelihood of contracting
a foodborne illness from California cantaloupe is extremely low. You can further
ensure the safety of cantaloupe at home by following safe handling practices.
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How
should cantaloupes be prepared at home to ensure they are safe to eat?
University scientists recommend that melons should be washed under running
tap water before cutting. If desired, a scrub brush can be used on the
melon rind. Melons, like all fresh produce, must be strictly separated
from all potential contact with food items such as raw chicken, meat,
seafood and eggs. Food preparers should thoroughly wash their hands, utensils,
countertops and cutting boards. Do not store cut cantaloupe at room temperature
for any length of time. Sliced melon should be stored in the refrigerator
until it is ready to be eaten.
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Are
there quality standards for cantaloupes?
In 1988, the California cantaloupe industry formed an organization called
the California Cantaloupe Advisory Board. This Board, which represents
most of the hundreds of cantaloupe growers and shippers in central California,
requires mandatory inspection of their California cantaloupes to ensure
quality and safety. Central California cantaloupes are available from
July through late fall. During this period, over 90 percent of the cantaloupes
sold in the U.S. are from central California. Cantaloupes sold in stores
will often have a sticker identifying where they were grown.
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What
else should I know about California cantaloupes?
The California cantaloupe industry is committed to safe growing and handling
practices. California cantaloupes are grown using the standardized principles
of “Good Agricultural Practices,” which are continually reviewed
and updated through ongoing research. The hot, dry conditions in California
growing areas along with careful field preparation and irrigation practices
ensure that California cantaloupes stay dry during the growing period.
This results in a cleaner melon. In addition, most California melons are
packed directly from the field into shipping boxes, which means they are
handled as little as possible, thereby lessening the likelihood of exposure
to pathogens. In shed packing operations, care is taken to ensure the
water used to clean the melons is continually tested and pathogen free.
Cantaloupes from California’s main growing region in the central
San Joaquin Valley are subject to continuous government inspection to
ensure quality and safety.
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