Watermelons can provide a pleasing burst of flavor in your mouth, but they shouldn’t self-combust.
Oddly enough, that is exactly what some fans of this popular fruit are concerned about after several consumer reports about foaming watermelons this summer.
Emily Durbin, resident of Florida, posted about considered one of these ominous-looking fruits this week within the Facebook group “Mom needs a recipe!”
Durbin shared a photograph of a giant watermelon sitting on the kitchen counter with white foam coming out of it.
“We bought this watermelon YESTERDAY at Walmart. My husband left for work around 6 a.m. and when I walked into the kitchen around 9 a.m., I got into it. The white substance was a foamy, effervescent substance. The yellow juice was thick and thick. The smell was absolutely DISGUSTING. It reminded me of vomiting,” she wrote within the post.
When Durbin picked up the fruit to throw it into the trash can, she found it “rumbling inside” but was embarrassed since the watermelon was not near “any sources of heat.” Durbin didn’t reply to a request for comment via TODAY.com.
Many Facebook users commented on Durbin’s post and said they’d also experienced a watermelon explosion in recent weeks.
“My melon was sitting on the counter and must have already been bad when I got it and the next day there was a terrible smell and rotten melon everywhere, it was disgusting and whenever I get something I immediately cut it up,” one wrote.
Another left the next comment: “It happened to me once. It wasn’t leaking yet, but once I cut into it, it literally exploded. The biggest bang I’ve ever heard and it scared the hell out of me.
Earlier this month, Maine’s Bangor Daily News published a story about exploding watermelons, detailing one other incident involving a watermelon purchased by Maine resident Julie Raines.
So yes, frothy fruit is trendy, but why? Should we be anxious? TODAY.com consulted several food safety experts to get to the basis of this bizarre phenomenon. Here’s what we discovered.
What causes watermelons to foam and explode?
Dr. Keith Schneider, a professor within the Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition on the University of Florida, tells TODAY.com that this isn’t the primary time he has heard of watermelons foaming or exploding.
“It’s probably due to the heat. Slightly damaged fruit may begin fermentation. If enough fermentation occurs to produce gas, it can create enough internal pressure for the watermelon to burst or pop,” says Schneider.
He explains that “excessive summer heat” can wreak havoc on the standard of some products, calling it “an unexpected consequence of climate change.”
As a part of the fermentation process, if certain microorganisms are introduced into the watermelon, they convert the sugar into alcohol.
“It’s the same process that occurs in the production of beer and wine. The result of this process is CO2 gas. This is what causes bubbles to form in beer,” says Schneider.
Eventually, an explosion may occur, especially “if the wound heals and the pressure builds up,” he explains.
Even though these watermelons aren’t actually fermenting, Dr. Steve Reiners, professor of horticulture at Cornell’s School of Integrative Plant Science, claims that “a bacterial or fungal/mould disease has entered the fruit.”
“Usually the inside of the fruit is protected by the skin, but there are several diseases that can get inside soon after the fruit sets (bees bring pollen to the flowers),” explains the professor. “Sometimes the part of the fruit to which the flower is attached does not close completely and the disease can enter through a small passage. It will probably be worse in wet conditions.”
Reiners says the fruit typically won’t explode on this scenario unless the entry hole is “completely plugged.”
“Usually the melon leaks out of the bottom,” he says. (*5*)
Are foaming watermelons fit for human consumption?
Foaming watermelons look nice – and make great social media fodder – but they are not superb to eat.
“Watermelon decomposes, so it’s best to bring it back to the store and buy a replacement or just throw it away,” Schneider said.
Reiners also recommends using your sense of smell in such situations.
“Basically, our noses are pretty good at telling us what’s fit for human consumption and if the fruit smells bad, it’s rotting. Trust your nose,” he says.
Fortunately, you often do not have to fret about plant diseases making people sick, but Reiners adds that “soft rot bacteria” could cause “a little discomfort,” so it is best to not eat them.
“In addition, if there’s a small hole within the fruit, it is feasible for human pathogens to enter the fruit, especially if heavy rains have pushed water out of areas where animals live. “Growers always make sure that fruits and vegetables are as safe as possible, but sometimes, and very rarely, a potential human pathogen such as E. coli or salmonella can enter,” he says.
In 2011, Food safety news provided regarding the recall of Del Monte melons as a consequence of exposure to salmonella.
“While other pathogens reminiscent of E. coli O157:H7 and Listeria can enter many crops, Salmonella appears to be the bacterial pathogen of biggest concern in melons. “Salmonellosis can be a serious disease, and the infection leads to complications such as reactive arthritis and other chronic diseases in approximately 15 percent of cases,” it wrote on the time.
How should watermelons be stored?
Hoping to avoid your individual foaming fruit incident? Proper food storage practices might help. Here are some suggestions:
- To extend the shelf lifetime of watermelon, do not expose it to direct sunlight.
- Leave the entire watermelon within the refrigerator until able to eat.
- Store leftover watermelon slices within the refrigerator.
“Watermelon is basically sugar water and if kept at room temperature, the fruit will breathe, using oxygen and internal sugars to “breathe.” Therefore, warm fruit will lose sugar faster and can be less sweet. Kept within the refrigerator, it could actually be stored for per week to 10 days,” says Reiners.
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