In summer, many people like to eat such a berry as watermelon. It is famous for its taste, juiciness and sweetness. In addition to excellent taste, it is useful for the body. At the same time, you need to know how to choose a watermelon so that it is ripe and sweet. The purchase criteria are described in the article.
There are many examples of how to choose a ripe watermelon. But not everyone knows what to look for. The main features include the following symptoms.
The presence of a yellow spot on the side
How to choose a sweet watermelon? A yellow spot on the side confirms that the berry has ripened, so it will be sweet. Its size should be about 5-10 cm in diameter. It is important that the spot has an orange tint. But if it is white, then this indicates the immaturity of the fetus.
Too large a spot indicates long-term aging in not very warm conditions. In this case, the watermelon will be sweet and unripe. This symptom is the same for different varieties, because it appears due to the contact of the berry with the ground.
Strip contrast
How to choose a watermelon to make it sweet? It is necessary to pay attention to its appearance. For striped species, whatever the color intensity, the rich contrast of the stripes confirms that the watermelon is ripe. Other options are better not to buy.
Skin hardness
How to choose a delicious watermelon and also ripe? Pay attention to the hardness of the peel. When the berry ripens, it is almost impossible to pierce with a fingernail.
If, nevertheless, an unripe berry was bought, then you should not wait for its ripening. All the same, this will not work. It is advisable to use such a product in cooking - for pickling and pickling.
The smoothness and luster of the peel
When buying, you need to pay attention to these criteria. But you should remember the tricks of sellers who rub these fruits. It is advisable to choose them from the depth of the calculation.
Sound
He must be deaf. This symptom is not considered a universal indication, since such a sound is obtained with the tapping of overripe fruits. And the use of such a product can adversely affect health due to souring of the pulp.
Even slight souring is a sign of an excess of pathogenic bacteria and toxic components. Therefore, you must sniff the cut. Fresh ripe watermelon smells of freshly cut grass. Another sign of overriding is a matte peel. This parameter, even on the counter, distinguishes the product from mature species that have a smooth and shiny surface.
Dry tail
How to choose a watermelon? The berry should have a dry tail. This further confirms that the fetus was plucked more than 3 days ago.
The size
Watermelon should be medium. Many believe that too large fruits are fed with nitrates. But there are varieties that are large in themselves. Therefore, it is important to pay attention to this criterion:
- Crimson Gloria. The average weight of such a product is 10-17 kg. The variety was created in the Crimea for transportation over long distances. Today it is planted in the southern part of the country. It has noticeable light stripes, a slightly oblong shape, a thick peel and a faint color of flesh.
- Kherson. Such a variety cannot be more than 10 kg. If it is larger, then this indicates an excess of nitrates. This type of peel is darker and thinner.
- Varieties Skorik and Photon. These are early ripe watermelons. The first has a dark green uniform color, and the second has a light striped peel. Weight can be no more than 7 kg.
- Hybrid Chill. This is a long-ripening variety, ripening by the end of August. The safety of the fetus is long - it can be left until the New Year. You just need to hang it in a grid in a dry, dark place.
Collection date
How to choose a good watermelon on other grounds? The seller must ask for product documents. They should indicate the date of collection. The shelf life of many varieties is not more than 3 weeks. Then the watermelon becomes sour.
If there are no signs of spoilage for a long time, then, most likely, there was treatment with slaked lime, alabaster or paraffin. With such products, many harmful components enter the skin and pulp. Whatever berry is chosen, it must be washed thoroughly using warm water and a brush.
On the market
How to choose a ripe watermelon in the market? When determining the place of purchase, you need to be guided by reason, take into account the advantages and risks. It is convenient for many to choose products at a spontaneous bazaar, which is located near the house.
It is advisable to choose watermelons in a trusted market if the place of sale is well organized. Although at first glance it seems that the fruits can not absorb any external factors, but in reality this is not so. Watermelons are ways to accumulate all the harmful in themselves. This happens especially quickly with cuts and punctures. That is why people are constantly warned about the risks of poisoning and intestinal infections.
To buy a quality product, you need to use the following rules:
- Berries must be sold in designated areas.
- Products should be under a canopy that protects from the sun and rain. It is important that it is far from the carriageway.
- The minimum height of the raised pallet above the ground should be 20 cm.
- The goods must have a certificate of surveillance services for all purchased lots.
In the shop
The supermarket is a popular place for shopping for urban residents. Stores have the following advantages compared to the market:
- Products are located under the roof.
- Fruits are not placed on the carriageway.
- Storage pallets have the required height, which protects against scratches, damage, the ingress of harmful components.
- Wholesale purchases from trusted suppliers.
But there are also disadvantages. Because of the general impression of accuracy, many people choose not whole watermelons, but halves covered with cling film. Do not buy such a product. This is due to the following reasons:
- Buyers do not know the reason for the division of the fetus.
- Dirt and bacteria quickly penetrate the skin.
- When cutting, hygiene of hands and tools is rarely observed.
- Covering the slice with a film serves as a greenhouse effect for the rapid growth of bacteria.
Therefore, it is better to choose a smaller berry than in a cut form. For other signs, the criteria for choosing a watermelon are the same as in the market.
Astrakhan watermelon
Although there are many new varieties and hybrids now, many Russians still prefer Astrakhan watermelons, bred in the 1970s. Such products are profitable for trade - they are resistant to storage and transportation. Sweet berries begin to sell from the end of August.
How to choose a watermelon of Astrakhan variety? There are some criteria that you need to pay attention to when choosing:
- Rounded or slightly oblong shape.
- Smooth surface.
- Green peel.
- Spike pattern with dark green stripes.
- Saturated red flesh.
- Sweet and juicy pulp.
- The average weight is 8-10 kg.
Nitrate free
The content of nitrates in the amount of 60 mg is allowed. per 1 kg. How to choose a watermelon without nitrates? There are some signs of excess data components:
- Coarse yellow fibers present in the pulp.
- The uneven color of the flesh.
- The presence of cracks in the pulp in the cut in half.
- Very smooth flesh.
- Multi-colored bones.
If a berry was bought, but there are doubts about the nitrate content, then you can conduct a test with water. It will take 1 tbsp. l pulp, which must be crushed with a fork in water (1 cup - 150 ml.):
- If after a while the water became a little muddy, then the fruit without an excess of nitrates.
- If the water turned red, then there are a lot of nitrates in the berry.
It is desirable to execute the text when serving goodies to children or to a crowded feast. You can check for nitrates by selecting specific pieces. These components are distributed unevenly - near the roots and peduncle. It is advisable for children to give pulp cut from the middle.
Watermelons - "girl" and "boy"
You should know not only how to choose a ripe watermelon, but also how to choose it on the basis of - “girl” or “boy”. It is believed that the first species is the sweetest, and there are fewer seeds. How to choose a "girl"? They differ from the “boys” in the deepening of the tip or the spot that will be from the tip in the event of a break.
In "boys" the tip is deepened inward, and the speck is represented as a dot. "Girls" have more spots. It is on these grounds that many choose sweet and ripe fruits. It is advisable to choose "girls", but meeting them is not so simple. On the shelves there are not more than 20% of the crop.
After the purchase, it is important to take care of the proper storage of the berry. In apartments, houses you can save a treat until winter. In the room where the product will be located, air should circulate well. Constant temperature should be no more than +6 and not less than 1 degree. Suitable humidity is 60-80%.
Given the selection criteria for watermelon, it will turn out to choose a ripe and juicy berry. This will allow the body to get the maximum benefit and prevent adverse health effects.