melon and watermelon are undoubtedly the summer fruits. Not only are they sweet as candy, but they are also refreshing, something that is appreciated in this unbearable heat. But how do we know if we are buying them mature enough? There are many tricks, but not all have scientific evidence behind.
In fact, the ideal would be trust the collector. That is, when they have picked up the melon or watermelon in their sweet spot. This is not always necessary, as they are climacteric fruits and, as such, they can continue to ripen once collected. However, if we are going to consume them immediately, they should be sufficiently ripe when they are picked.
Now, suppose not. They have been collected in different stages of maturation and thus have reached greengrocers. We have all seen someone choosing melon and watermelon with tricks like tapping it and seeing if it sounds hollow, scratching the skin, or looking at the color. Some of these tricks are nothing more than legends, passed down through generations as if they were true. But others do have some scientific evidence.
the sound of watermelon
One of the most common tricks to know if the watermelon is ripe enough is to hit it and check if it sounds hollow.
This is because it is a fruit with a very high water content, which also increases with maturity. Therefore, if it sounds hollow, it is thought to be at its perfect point. On the other hand, if a certain resonance is perceived, it will be because it is still green. This is what is usually said. But it’s true?
According to Ana Garces-Claverresearcher at the Department of Plant Science of the Center for Research and Agrifood Technology of Aragon, there is a small grain of truth in this.
In their center they have verified that, with certain devices, they can analyze the internal sound of watermelon and correlate with the presence of bruises or holes in the pulp. Therefore, it is something more complex, which also requires suitable instruments. Simply knocking at the greengrocer’s and putting your ear to the watermelon would not give us enough information about its maturity.
The famous yellow spot
Watermelons usually have a stainsometimes yellowsometimes greenish, known colloquially as bed. This corresponds to the area in which it has rested on the earth, without the sun hitting it.
Therefore, here is a sign that we must take into account. If the stain is rather greenish, it means that the watermelon has not been in the sun long enough and, therefore, it is probably not ripe. Or maybe it’s ripened after picking, but doesn’t have optimal sweetness.
What happens if you scratch the watermelon with your fingernail?
Another way to tell if a watermelon is ripe is scratch it with your fingernail. According to The Ohio State University College of Food, Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, if the skin lifts when scratching gently, it is an indication that the watermelon is ripe. If not, you may be green still.
And what about the melon?
The melon is also left mature above ground, so it must also have a stain corresponding to the support area. Since the skin of this fruit is more yellowish, the stain is not as obvious as on watermelon, but it can also be a good indicator.
Now, putting that aside, most of the tricks that are often talked about to analyze your maturity lack scientific evidence. Neither the tone of the skin nor the size of the furrows They say nothing, far beyond the variety of melon we are dealing with. It’s no use either squeeze the ends, as explained by the fruit and vegetable export company Proexport.
Obviously, if a melon or watermelon has taken a hit, the skin may be weakened in that area. but that already it is not a question of maturity.
For this reason, sometimes we have no choice but to trust in the good manipulation of the hands through which it has passed until it reached our pantries. These people, and also us, must take care of the fruit to savor it in an optimal state. Sometimes we may not get it right. But, if we gamble with the Padrón peppers, why not also with watermelon and melon?