Food safety tips for melons
Melons are fruit that belong to the gourd family and grow close to the ground. A common characteristic that all melons share is a hard skin or rind that surrounds a fleshy centre. Some popular types of melons are honeydew, cantaloupe and watermelon.
By making sure melons are properly handled, washed, prepared, and stored, you can enjoy them while preventing foodborne illness for yourself and your family. Foodborne illness is also known as food poisoning.
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Melons and food poisoning
Melons do not naturally contain bacteria that can make you sick. However, because melons are grown close to the ground their rind can become contaminated.
Eating melons that are contaminated with harmful bacteria can make you sick. Contaminated melons, especially cantaloupe, have been linked to foodborne illness outbreaks caused by bacteria, such as Salmonella.
Melons can become contaminated in the field by:
- soil
- animals
- contaminated water
- improperly composted manure
Melons can become contaminated by bacteria:
- during and after harvest from handling, storing, and transporting
- at the grocery store
- at home through cross-contamination with harmful bacteria from raw meat, poultry, or seafood in the refrigerator, or from countertops and cutting boards
Did you know?
Cantaloupe is at greater risk of contamination because of its unique netted rind. The spaces between the netting can trap bacteria and make them harder to remove.
Shopping
- Choose melons that are firm.
- Do not buy melons that are bruised or damaged.
- Melons can become contaminated through bruised and damaged parts of the rind.
- Some melons may have blemishes on one side. This is usually where the melon was resting on the ground during growth. It is safe to choose this melon.
- Buy only pre-cut melons that are refrigerated and make sure to keep them refrigerated until you're ready to eat them.
Cleaning
Wash your hands and follow proper cleaning steps to help you avoid cross-contamination and prevent the spread of food poisoning.
- Use warm water and soap to thoroughly wash all countertops, cutting boards and utensils before and after handling melons.
- Sanitize countertops, cutting boards and utensils. In a clean, labelled spray bottle put 5 mL/1 tsp unscented household bleach into 750 mL/3 cups of water. Close bottle and shake. Spray carefully on surfaces. Let stand a few minutes. Rinse with clean water. Wipe dry with a clean towel.
Preparing
- Throw away melons that are bruised or rotten.
- Wash your hands thoroughly with warm water and soap for at least 20 seconds, before and after handling melons.
- Bacteria from the outer rind can transfer to the inner flesh of the melon when you cut into it.
- Reduce your risk of food poisoning, before cutting, thoroughly scrub the entire melon under cool running water using a clean produce brush.
Chilling/storing
- Store whole/uncut melons in the fridge for up to 15 days, depending on the ripeness, variety, and growing conditions.
- Refrigerate cut melons for up to four days.
- Throw out any cut melons that have been left at room temperature for more than two hours, or sooner if they are in a warm location.
What the Government of Canada does to protect you
The Government of Canada is committed to food safety.
Together with industry, we work to identify best practices that can be used to help prevent contamination of fresh produce throughout the food system, from the field to the store. In addition, inspection and enforcement activities conducted by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency work to ensure that steps taken by producers, manufacturers, and importers have been effective and that the foods available to Canadians are safe.
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