For some time now, it has been very common to go to the supermarket, the greengrocer or the market and find melons and watermelons already cut. At first, it can be the perfect solution for people who live alone at home or are the only ones who consume these fruits or, why not, for those who instead of taking a whole watermelon prefer to alternate this and the melon. Also, the exaggerated size of some watermelons requires a lot of space in the fridge. However, it may not be a good idea to toss a half or a quarter of these fruits or others already cut and wrapped in cling film on the cart. We tell you why.
“By cutting the fruit, we are breaking the natural protection that isolates the edible part from the environment. Fruits and vegetables can have pathogenic microorganisms on their surface such as Salmonella , Listeria or Escherichia coli (E.coli) , so that, if they are not washed properly before cutting them, they can go inside ”, explains Beatriz Robles, dietician nutritionist and food technologist in her book Eat Safe by Eating Everything . This means you can get food poisoning.
To avoid scares, the expert recommends washing all fruits and vegetables, eaten with their skin or peeled. Yes, you read that correctly, even if you are going to eat an apple without the skin, you should wash it first under the running tap . “On the skin there may be microorganisms that we drag inside with the knife when we peel them. So the first thing is to wash ”, recommends the expert. If the consumption is with skin, Robles is in favor of moving to adults and disinfecting in water with bleach , putting the fruit or vegetables for five minutes in a solution of three liters of water and a dessert spoon of bleach (that is “suitable for drinking water disinfection. ”This will be indicated on the label). Then it will be necessary to rinse very well with water. According to Robles, we should also disinfect aromatic herbs and sprouts.
Regarding the fruit that is sold cut but is not stored in a refrigerator but on a shelf or a stand at room temperature, Robles points out in his book the following: “There may also be contamination from the operator or cutting utensils . If the cut fruit is not kept refrigerated, the growth of microorganisms is favored and, as it is a ready-to-eat food, there is no subsequent treatment that improves its hygienic characteristics ”.
So now you know: if you are going to buy a melon or a watermelon, better choose the whole piece and if you think that it is going to get bad, you do not have room in the fridge to store it or you do not want to consume so much directly, choose for one half, but as long as it is placed in the establishment’s refrigerator. When you get home, it’s time to wash the surface of the fruit under the tap, don’t forget it. Thus, you will avoid greater evils and you can safely enjoy these summer fruits so fresh, rich and healthy.
