Finally, the first watermelons appeared and I really want to taste the juicy sweet pulp as soon as possible. But what a disappointment, when you bring a watermelon home and cut it, you see that it is still pinkish. How to choose a ripe watermelon and how to determine if it contains a lot of nitrates.
Instructions
Step 1
Pay attention to medium-sized watermelons first. Huge specimens are likely to be overfed with nitrates, while small ones will be unripe. Next, look at the "tail" of the watermelon. If it is dry, then the fruit is already ripe. Although this figure is not always accurate if you buy a watermelon in August or September. By this time, the stalk will dry out by itself.
Step 2
Hold the watermelon in your hands, estimate its weight. Ripe will seem a lot easier. Squeeze it a little with your hands, if you hear a crunch, you red watermelon will make a characteristic sound. You can also scratch the skin with your fingernail. If you can easily leave a mark, the watermelon should be ripe.
Step 3
Consider a watermelon. If you see a large yellow-white spot on the side, set it aside and take another one with a smaller spot. Also notice the top of the watermelon. If you see a large, rough spot 1-2 cm in diameter, this is a very sweet female-type berry.
Step 4
Unfortunately, you will not be able to find out whether a watermelon is nitrate or not on the market, and at home you can determine this approximately. If the veins in the cut watermelon are yellow, this is an indicator of a high nitrate content. Also, you should not eat one in which the pulp, dipped in water, strongly tints it red. This is a common dye that unscrupulous sellers inject into watermelons to simulate ripeness.
