Although these issues may seem daunting, they are easily solved. Marisa.Bunning@ColoState.edu, https://fsi.colostate.edu/suggest-a-topic/, contamination can arise from soil, water, equipment, animals,or humans, and can occur at any phase of production, In 2011, the contamination of fresh, whole cantaloupes resulted in a multi-state outbreak of listeriosis and resulted in 147 illnesses and 33 deaths. Although it is not common practice, some growers may use animal manure and/or composts as soil amendments. You may have also planted your cantaloupes too close together, which means that they will be fighting for the nutrients in the soil and wont grow normally. As for the inside of the fruit, when the flesh appears to look dark orange or brown, its probably past its prime. Keep the soil moist at 70 degrees F. Seedlings emerge in 7-10 days. Top Problems Growing Raspberries and How to Fix Them. If youre working with a large patch, its unlikely that you can move the plants, so instead, you should cover your plants with a thin yet warm blanket at night just make sure they can breathe and that they arent being squashed by the blanket. In general, your cantaloupe leaves should be a soft green color with as little browning or blackening as possible. If you smell a melon at its stem core, be sure to note if the smell is displeasing or if there isnt a smell at all. Most of these issues can be solved with better watering strategies, insecticides, fungicides, or adjustments in location. Twitter 2006 Aug;134(4):67585. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". A ripe cantaloupe will have beige, tan, creamy yellow or golden rind. In addition to that, the cantaloupe will also feel soft and may feel hollow. It will have a sweet musky smell and when you shake it, you should just barely be able to hear some of the seeds moving in the center of the melon. And because some molds are black, it is possible that the mold occurring is a toxic black moldthat is known to cause deadly infections. Wash hands with hot, soapy water before and after handling fresh cantaloupes. Harvesting Melons in Time. How Long Does it Take for Cantaloupe to go Bad? To qualify for organic certification, growers of organic cantaloupes must comply with requirements for composted and certified soil amendments. In some cases, such as with oral thrush, the condition can be treated with antifungal medication. This, unfortunately, is an issue that cannot be prevented. Between 2000 and 2020, at least 45 cantaloupe-associated outbreaks were reported to CDCs National Outbreak Reporting System (NORS), causing 1,917 illnesses, 390 hospitalizations, and 40 deaths; the most deaths related to food-borne illnesses. Any color other than orange, is sign that the cantaloupe is bad. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Our sense of smell developed just for this kind of thing. If youre fruit is ripe, but you dont plan on eating it right away, its best to keep it in the fridge until you are ready to eat it. If stored in a refrigerator, cantaloupe can last much longer, up to three weeks. In the latter scenario, before the melons get packed and taken to cooling facilities, they are cleaned with brushes, either while dry or after they arehydrocooled through immersion in adump tankor by spraying withwater (and in some cases disinfectant-treated water). Although there are several dozen farms growing cantaloupes across the state of Colorado, most are grown in the Rocky Ford region in the southeastern portion of the state. The most important question to ask yourself is, what is the weather like? An investigation was initiated in February 2020 by the CDC and public health authorities across several states when 165 people were infected with Salmonella Javiana. However, like any fruit or vegetable, it can also pick up pathogens during harvest, handling or preparation. However, other states may require more aggressive treatment. Cut cantaloupe should only be kept about two to three days. In 2018, the states leading cantaloupe production by weight were California, Arizona, Indiana, North Carolina, Texas, and Pennsylvania, respectively. Using an all-natural fungicide is the best option because it will not affect the plants themselves, only the attacking fungus. With this in mind, it is important to avoid consuming mold on fruits, especially if you have a sensitivity to mold or have other respiratory sensitivities, such as asthma. Its often called a dessert melon thanks to its honeyed, juicy sweetness. 95. The fruit will have a raised, textured webbing on its exterior. Sandy soils are used for the earliest plantings because they warm more rapidly in the spring, while loam and clay loam soils are preferred for main-season production due to greater water-holding capacity, which favors a prolonged harvest period. 51% of those infected reported being hospitalized and 3 deaths occurred. Small mold spots can be removed by simply cutting them away. A total of 147 ill persons were reported, of which, 99% were hospitalized; 33 deaths were reported. Cantaloupe is covered by a decidedly unattractive skin a greyish-beige, rough, net-like pattern covers a green base that yellows as the fruit ripens. 2012. Watermelon will yield best if grown in a light, well-draining soil, rich in organic matter and with a pH between 6.0 and 7.0. If, however, the white spots on the flesh of your cantaloupe dont appear to be mold and appear to be only in one particular location of the fruit, you may consider cutting the infected part out and eating the rest of your cantaloupe. If you develop a listeria infection, you might have: Fever. Many people who have never tasted good, ripe cantaloupe think the fruit is bland and tasteless. Washing and serving To prevent spoilage and mold growth during storage, it is best to wash cantaloupes just before you eat or prepare them. If it is light yellow or even white, make another selection. Recent marketing attempts have been targeted at smaller households and the single-serving market and have been focused on pre-cut cantaloupe displays and in-store salad bars. If you notice that your cantaloupe vines have wilting flowers, but the rest of the vine looks healthy, theres nothing to fear this is simply part of the process of pollination. Is it a blemish, an infection, or something else entirely? As with cantaloupe, color is your first sign of ripeness. In some cases, already-cut cantaloupe from the store or served in a restaurant, for example, has been linked to foodborne illnesses such as E. coli O157:H7 and Salmonella. The taste and texture of the fruit will be off putting and will hopefully deter most people from eating too much of it, but outside of a bad taste in the mouth and possibly a slightly upset stomach, over ripe cantaloupe does not pose a serious health threat. From the University of California at Davis. Thus, it is important to be able to identify these types of mold and avoid eating them when you can. To create fruit, the pollen from the male flowers must be transferred to the female flowers, and for this process to occur, pollinators such as honeybees have to do the job. The melon should be firm but not too soft or too hard. When you cut a healthy ripe cantaloupe in half you will see a well of seeds surrounded by a ring of a distinct kind of orange. Available from: Bartolo M. Colorado Agricultural Experiment Station 1997 Annual Report [Internet]. Darkening of leaves on your cantaloupe plants is most likely a sign of fungal infection or disease, and if not taken care of properly, it will ruin your plants and can even overtake your whole crop. It is important that the soil is well-drained to prevent root diseases. In the refrigerator whole cantaloupe can take three weeks to go bad while cut cantaloupe will need about three days. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Typhimurium by melon (Cucumis melo) during field production. If your cantaloupe was very unripe when you bought it or if you keep your home very cool cantaloupe will last longer. This will also ensure that you are not coating your sweet and juicy cantaloupes with inedible or even poisonous compounds. To counter these two issues, you will need to make sure that you plant your cantaloupes in a full-sun area of your garden (perhaps opting to gently replant them) as well as make sure that they are well-spaced from one another. Read More. That would make it easier for the fungus to get into the fruit. Bartolo M. Colorado State University Extension: Arkansas Valley Research Center 2009 Reports [Internet]. The caterpillars may tunnel through flowers, buds, and stems, but most usually prefer fruits. Unfortunately, the physical characteristics of their rind and flesh make cantaloupes susceptible to pathogen contamination and growth. It is caused by exposure to tobacco smoke, which can lead to an overproduction of melanin (the pigment that gives skin its color). Reducing Salmonella on cantaloupes and honeydew melons using wash practices applicable to postharvest handling, foodservice, and consumer preparation. This can cause black spots to form inside the cheek. Still, it is important to know if white spots on cantaloupe could be an indicator of the fruit going rotten. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. A ripe cantaloupe will be mostly firm with just a little give when pressed at the place where the stem fell was at the end of the oblong fruit. Whole cantaloupe can stay fresh and tasty for three to five days on a countertop while cut or pureed cantaloupe should only be left on the counter for two to three hours. If you are already dealing with a crop of cantaloupe plants that are wilting and dying, they have less of a chance of surviving, but there is still a chance for them to thrive. This method increases solar heating and stimulates germination. Just as weird-looking mangoes can leave you wondering, How to Tell if Mango is Bad? If you notice that your cantaloupe is soft when squeezed, is mushy, or has an otherwise unsightly appearance along with the white patches, you are better off not purchasing, or eating, this particular melon. The most recent cantaloupe recall occurred in October of 2020 due to the contamination of, For video instruction on how to wash cantaloupe, please visit, Days to market maturity after pollination: 40-50 days. These sweet ground-growing plants (also known in some places as muskmelons) grow two varieties of flowers male flowers and female flowers. The first of these techniques is the most environmentally friendly option possible, as it doesnt utilize any chemical pesticide agents, nor will it affect the environment surrounding the cantaloupe patch. Agricultural Marketing Resource Center. Minimizing the Risk of Food Borne Illness Associated with Cantaloupe Production and Handling in California. If you have any further questions, please dont hesitate to contact us. However, food allergies are a serious matter. SmarterHomeMaker.Com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. Any black spots on the melons flesh are more than likely mold that has come into the fruit through the skin. Some fruit, like apples will emit a gas called ethylene as they ripen. It can occur inside the cheek after trauma to the area, such as biting or sucking on the cheek. Black spot on cantaloupe's rind, make sure you check what's beneath when cutting Some of the points above aren't cut and dried but rather based on your judgment. However, pureed cantaloupe is excellent frozen and can be frozen as ice cubes or in zip top bags to be added to smoothies. Planitation Smiles, online since 2007 . A ripe cantaloupe has a yellow, tan, or cream-colored rind. If you have an allergy to cantaloupe, even eating a few bites could trigger symptoms. If the end of the fruit is wet or bruising, it is ripe. Despite the popularity of the Rocky Ford cantaloupe, Colorado only ranks eighth among states in production, accounting for less than 1% of the total acres harvested. What does the inside of a bad cantaloupe look like? Inside, the cantaloupe bears a beautiful pale pinkish-orange flesh and a center full of seeds and mush, which can be scooped out before the fruit is eaten*. Food feeds the soul so get eating! Stored in an airtight container, frozen cantaloupe can still be delicious six months after freezing. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. Generally speaking, it is best to throw out any cantaloupe that feels soft and mushy. A cantaloupe with a damaged outer rind will spoil quickly. 30. This outbreak, which spanned from April to July of 2018 involved 9 states, resulting in 77 illnesses and 36 hospitalizations. 1906. They grow best in sunny, hot weather, with minimal rain and low humidity,and they are typically planted in the spring after frost is no longer a concern. You could take that risk, but be careful. From the University of California at Davis: 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. The issue of the whitening of cantaloupe leaves is similar to the issues that cause the darkening of the leaves, but whitening is caused by a different disease altogether. It is easy to recognize since it will not have the same stripes and color of the rest of the fruitit will have a more solid color. These kinds of white spots are usually an indication of mold and are usually a sign that the melon should not be eaten. The ground spot is where fruit was in contact with the soil. What is a black spot on the inside of the cheek? This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Available from: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 1 What does the inside of a good cantaloupe look like? If you ever notice them curling up at the edges, this is a clear sign of aphid infestation. Cantaloupe is one of the most popular fruits. Cantaloupe melons (Cucumis melo var. (970) 491-7180 Still, you should take food safety precautions when preparing any produceespecially cantaloupe, because its rough rind can trap salmonella and some other types of harmful bacteria, according to the FDA. However, every now and again, a fluke will occur, and your cantaloupe plants wont put off any fruit, which is the reason you planted them, anyway. Even so, 40% of all cantaloupe-growing acres were treated with herbicides in 2010. cantalupo) with their netted green and beige skin and deliciously sweet orange flesh are one of the most popular types of melon.This type of melon came to the US and Europe from Asia in the late 1800s. A total of 137 people were infected during the outbreak, leading to 38 hospitalization and no reported deaths. All cuts of cantaloupe were recalled relating to Kandy Brand from Eagle Produce, LLC. Thank you all for the quick responses. If you wait a really long time before attempting to eat an affected orange you might notice that the peel becomes thin and dark. Although historically, most cantaloupe fields have been furrowed, many other growers have used sprinkler irrigation. The first signal that a cantaloupe (or a muskmelon) is getting ripe is the color under the netting of the fruit changes from green to tan. Why do I throw up after eating cantaloupe? 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