How to choose a good watermelon: the expert announced the top signs

Watermelons and melons sold in Ukraine today may contain a large amount of nitrates because they are imported. They can be tasted, but not consumed in large quantities.

A quality watermelon should have ripe seeds, a sweet taste, and clear stripes. Olena Sydorenko, an expert on food quality, spoke about this on the OBOZREVATEL TV channel.

"I would recommend waiting at least until the beginning of August, or better yet, until mid-August, when Ukrainian organic watermelon producers are ready to send us their products. Then you can safely eat to your heart's content. And now you can try it," she said.

As the expert explained, this is because the content of nitrates, pesticides, and other chemicals in imported watermelons, which are currently available in Ukraine, may exceed the norm.

Sydorenko outlined the basic rules for buying and eating watermelon:

• Do not buy watermelon near roads, as this product quickly absorbs hazardous substances
• The stem should not be completely dried up and flabby. This is a sign that the watermelon has been stored for a long time
• When squeezed, the watermelon should make a characteristic resonant sound. This is a sign that it is ripe
• Striped watermelons should have clear, even stripes
• The seeds should be ripe. If not, the watermelon may have undergone "intensification"
• The watermelon should have a sweet taste
• Do not eat 0.5-1 centimeters to the rind, as it contains more chemical compounds

At the same time, the expert noted that all these recommendations are relative and do not always apply. "Recently, I saw a watermelon that was sweet and beautiful but had a 1.5-2 times excess of chemicals. Everything may be fine on the outside, but you need to understand that this is the period of watermelon tasting," she emphasized.