June 28, 2001

Prairie Fare: It’s Melon Time

By Julie Garden-Robinson, Food and Nutrition Specialist
NDSU Extension Service

I never perfected the art of making watermelon and cantaloupe balls for fancy summer salads. Mine were usually shaped like distorted half moons. I like to think it was the scoop’s fault. Most likely, it was the scoop’s operator.

Cantaloupe gets its name from the Castle of Cantalup, where a 16th century pope lived. The melons were first cultivated in the garden of the castle after being imported from Armenia. The netted skin variety most familiar to us is technically a "muskmelon." A true cantaloupe has a smooth hard rind. The names are usually used interchangeably.

Regardless of its name, cantaloupe is very nutritious. A serving, about one-fourth of a medium cantaloupe, contains about 50 calories, 80 percent of the daily recommendation for vitamin C and 100 percent of the daily recommendation for vitamin A (as beta carotene). Cantaloupe is very low in sodium, at 25 milligrams per serving, and provides some dietary fiber. It’s also a good source of the B vitamin folate.

Watermelon was grown in the U.S. by early colonists in the 1600s. As the name implies, watermelon is made up of about 90 percent water. A 2-cup serving of watermelon contains about 80 calories, no fat, 25 percent of the daily recommendation for vitamin C and 20 percent of the daily recommendation for vitamin A. Watermelon is an excellent source of lycopene, the same pigment that’s responsible for the red color of tomatoes. Lycopene is a powerful antioxidant that has been shown to lower the risk of certain types of cancer, especially prostate cancer.

Cantaloupe and watermelon have come under scrutiny in recent years because of their links to numerous cases of foodborne illness in the U.S. Contaminated cantaloupe, for example, was named as the cause of over 400 cases of Salmonella Poona, an uncommon type of Salmonella that leads to fever, cramps and diarrhea usually lasting up to five days. In another outbreak, watermelon contaminated with E. coli O157:H7 was found to be responsible for the death of a child who ate the fruit from a salad bar. Children and the elderly are among the most vulnerable to foodborne illness.

Melons can easily become contaminated in the field by animal or human waste products or during transport to grocery stores or farmers’ markets. Melons are typically purchased whole and sliced at home. When choosing a melon, look for intact rinds with no cracks or punctures. Avoid bruised fruit. Aroma can also give clues for ripeness. Does thumping a melon prove ripeness? Ripeness is best determined in melons by gently pushing on the blossom end. When ripe it should yield to gentle pressure.

There’s ample opportunity for cross contamination to occur if the melons are not washed thoroughly before cutting. Anything that’s on the outside of the melon could be pushed through the skin by the knife and could contaminate the flesh. Use plenty of clean, running water and scrub with a produce brush. In fact, careful washing is recommended for all fresh produce. After slicing, the melon should be kept refrigerated. For added safety during service, place the serving plate on a bed of ice to maintain the cold temperature and reduce the growth of bacteria.

Here’s a refreshing fruit salad from a Web site with lots of answers about produce and recipes, too: http://aboutproduce.com .

Glorious Fruit Salad

Ingredients:
2 unpeeled apples, thinly sliced
1 cup green or red grapes, seedless
1 banana, sliced
1 cup cantaloupe, cut into chunks
1 kiwifruit, peeled and sliced
1/4 cup. lowfat sour cream
1 cup lowfat cottage cheese, small curd, creamed
1 cup vanilla lowfat yogurt
2 tablespoons honey
2 teaspoons lime juice

Procedure:
Wash and prepare fruit. To make dressing, combine sour cream, cottage cheese and yogurt. Blend with blender or hand mixer. Add honey and lime juice. To make salad, combine first five fruits with about 1/2 cup of the dressing; garnish with slices of kiwifruit. Serve remaining dressing separately. Makes 8 servings. A serving (1/8 of the recipe) contains 175 calories, 1.5 grams of fat and 2.3 grams of fiber.

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Source: Julie Garden-Robinson, (701) 231-7187, jgardenr@ndsuext.nodak.edu
Editor: Tom Jirik, (701) 231-9629, tjirik@ndsuext.nodak.edu