Nitrate "bomb": how to recognize a watermelon laced with "chemistry" and what are the risks of eating it

The watermelon season is about to begin. These fruits can be not only very juicy and tasty, but also dangerous. We are talking about the presence of nitrates, which are used to make the product ripen faster and look attractive. And such substances are quite harmful to the body.

The FoodOboz editorial team will tell you how to recognize watermelon with nitrates. This can be done both in the store and at home.

Why nitrates are dangerous for humans

In the human body, nitrates form methemoglobin. Hemoglobin in the blood is needed to carry oxygen to the cell. Methemoglobin does not perform this function and oxygen starvation begins in the body.

Mild poisoning is manifested by

• depression
• nausea
• vomiting
• diarrhea

During heat treatment in the presence of vitamin C, nitrates are destroyed during storage. The danger of nitrates in watermelon is great precisely because it is consumed without preliminary processing and in large quantities.

How to determine the presence of nitrates in watermelon

There are many different varieties of watermelons now. Some ripen earlier, others later. Therefore, in order to determine the quality of the fruit, you need to consider the following:

• appearance
• pulp structure when examined at home
• the use of control methods and devices.

Don't buy watermelon from roadside stands

In one day of staying in a gassed environment, the product will pick up a lot of exhaust gases, no less harmful than nitrates. On the ground, the shell will become dirty, grains of sand will injure the shell, and it will be impossible to completely wash such a watermelon. Usually, roadside vending is illegal, and the goods do not have a sanitary certificate for the content of harmful substances. Agricultural products, including watermelons and melons, can be safely purchased in special places and certified for quality.

Watermelon should have a dry tail

A sign that a watermelon has turned green is a soggy tip or a cut with a sharp knife. In addition, this will be a sign that the watermelon has been lying for a long time. And you shouldn't buy fruit without a tail. This means that the seller has something to hide. The tail can naturally dry out in the garden of an unripe watermelon, which is specially turned over several times, twisting the tail.

Pay attention to the color

The stripes of dark and light colors should be contrasting, not blurred, the pattern should be clear

Texture of the peel

You can lightly scratch the rind of a ripe watermelon, and a white dense layer and a clearly perceptible watermelon smell will remain underneath. All this indicates the freshness of the watermelon.

The presence of a puncture

When inspecting, it is necessary to check the watermelon peel well for a puncture through which the watermelon is served, which is used to pump the watermelon for quick redness. And not only watermelon, other melons and tomatoes also receive injections from unscrupulous sellers.

The presence of defects

Do not buy a watermelon with black spots on the surface, a small spot of rot, a crack or a dent. A cut berry with unwashed skin, a dirty knife can lead to bad consequences.

What will help to detect the presence of nitrates at home

Dip the watermelon in a bowl of water. If the fruit is ripe, it will float. If the watermelon sinks, it contains a large amount of nitrates.

What a quality sliced watermelon should look like:

1. Sliced fruit should have a grainy surface, not a smooth, shiny one.

2. The seeds should be black.

3. There should be no thick yellow stripes on the cut.

4. The veins are thin, white.

5. The pulp should not have a rich color in the center.

How to check watermelon pulp for nitrates

Place 20 grams of watermelon in a clear glass and mash it in water. If the liquid becomes cloudy, everything is fine. If the water starts to color, it indicates the presence of nitrates. The more saturated the color, the more impurities there are in the watermelon.