I've been looking for a dupe for a long time. If you get any hint of rotten fruit or a funky, garbage-like smell, avoid it as it means the fruit is starting to rot. But that doesnt mean you cant eat them or that they will make you sick if you do. Smelling a cantaloupe (also known as a muskmelon or a rockmelon) is one of the recommended ways to tell if it is ripe or has gone bad. Was there some kind of chemical involved? You have no way of knowing that this souring process is happening. If the inside or outside of a cantaloupe feels mushy, overly soft, or falls apart in your hands, then it's bad. Or bought Brussels sprouts and kept them for a couple of days before using and found that they had soured. Crenshaws also have peachy flesh, similar to a cantaloupes, which is juicy and sweet to taste. It is much sweeter than a regular cantaloupe while having an earthy and rich flavor. Mold inside cantaloupe or growing on its rind is another sure sign that you should throw out the fruit. If you catch a cantaloupe slightly beyond the point where you want to eat it straight it has no bad smells, obvious signs of rotting or mold growth, but the flesh has gotten a bit too soft you don't have to toss it. Public health investigators said they found bacterial contamination on melons and on equipment in a packing facility of Jensen Farms in Granada, Colo. We did not have the concept of "soured". That means your body digests it slowly and it wont make your blood sugar spike. The melon should have a robust and sweet fragrance. A bitter, sour-tasting cantaloupe is a melon whose sugars have not developed correctly. Be sure to rinse melons under cold running water to remove any bacteria or dirt on the surface of the skin. Can I Ripen a Cantaloupe Once It Has Been Cut? Bruises and soft spots indicate a melon that is overripe and may have gone bad. Unfortunately, we don't always know how foods have been handled and stored before we buy them. FDA officials are urging consumers not to eat any cantaloupe from Jensen Farms, and to throw away any melons they may still have bearing the labels Colorado Grown, Distributed by Frontera Produce, Jensenfarms.com or Sweet Rocky Fords. However, not all of the recalled cantaloupes are labeled with a sticker, the FDA said. Find her on Twitter at @aliceparkny. Unfortunately, contamination in the food supply chain, particularly from foreign countries, is not a topic we have staffed in Extension. It really was a beautiful scent. If you feel ill within two months of eating contaminated cantaloupe, see a physician immediately and make sure to tell your doctor about what youve eaten. And if you do happen to accidentally eat a moldy piece, fear not. Some smells can come from having a bad mix of bacteria in the intestines, and somehow the smell comes out through the sinuses or lungs. Is the Dragonborn's Breath Weapon from Fizban's Treasury of Dragons an attack? It was nothing like the sweet garbage we smell in the usual splashes. They have an average flavor that is plenty sweet. Investigators are still trying to find the original source of contamination. VAT:722 786 517"Whole Foods Market" is a registered trademark of Amazon Technologies, Inc, A real showstopper, this sirloin steak has been carefully butterflied into a heart-shape. Registered in England and Wales. A perfectly ripe melon will have a sweet, kind of musky aroma that you can gather emanating through the rind. At the grocery store, then, what you see is what you get: The fruit will not ripen very much once left on the counter at home, so its important to pick a good cantaloupe. In 2018, a pair of Ybari Kings. But there's a major . Unlike other fruits, cantaloupes will not ripen once picked from the vine. Then, add the fruit to the jar along with some more sugar. One of the earliest ripening cantaloupe varieties, this Eastern type offers resilient growth and delicious torpedo-shaped fruits to growers in northern or mountainous regions. Check the outside of the melon for bruises, soft spots, or tears. Ohio State University Extension: Selecting, Storing and Serving Ohio Melons. Check the cantaloupe's smell. Courtesy Bath & Body Works. Washing and serving To prevent spoilage and mold growth during storage, it is best to wash cantaloupes just before you eat or prepare them. The entire melon gets soft and eventually becomes unable to hold its shape. Smell the end of the cantaloupe where the stem was attached. A real showstopper, this sirloin steak has been carefully butterflied into a heart-shape. When hes not cooking, Justin enjoys spending time with his wife and son. Properly storing cantaloupes is an important part of getting to enjoy them at peak ripeness and quality. Almost everyone who is diagnosed with listeriosis has invasive infection, in which the bacteria spread beyond the gastrointestinal tract, according to the CDC. What you are describing is what we call a food that has "soured". Loving our local artisans, makers, entrepreneurs and producers is something that just comes, well, naturally. The sprouts in the bag looked great, green and plump with not a spec of black or brown on them. If it smells cloying, fermented or just plain bad, its probably overripe. Some smells can come from liver or kidney diseases, or from acid reflux in the stomach. 3. Trimethylamine is the compound that makes fish smell like, well, fish, and as the remnants of your fish dinner fester in the trash, trimethylamine gets added into the foul gas that's emitted every time you open it. If your cantaloupe is not harvested in the right season, chances are it wont be sweet. Limited time only. Why does my cantaloupe taste like nail polish remover? Symptoms of a cantaloupe allergy They can be triggered by the presence of a very small amount of cantaloupe or other melons. Once cut, store in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days. Seasoned Advice is a question and answer site for professional and amateur chefs. How Do You Sweeten a Cantaloupe? The American cantaloupe is a close relative, however, and it is an extremely healthy fruit. Before they're ripe, all these characteristics are muted, but once they've started going bad, they become pretty unappetizing. As it gets riper, the stem end may rise off the fruit slightly. The flesh becomes darker orange and mushy, too. Always wash your hands after handling whole melons such as cantaloupe, honeydew and watermelon, and wash or scrub rinds before cutting. Listeria is bacteria from the Listeria monocytogenes family that can cause listeriosis infection. @hmijail : it's also possible that it's regional because of types of bacteria in the region or climate (going sour slowly vs. quickly as they're at different temperatures). How To Tell If Your Cantaloupe Has Gone Bad. Usually you hear melon and you automatically think it's cheap garbage .. but this was on a different level. Gerardos friends and family are the lucky beneficiaries of his delicious cooking. Onions, coffee, meat, fruit, alcohol, toothpaste, cleaning . If there's mold on the inside, it should also be tossed. The melon should have a robust and sweet fragrance. If the color is right, gently push on the end of the melon opposite from the stem. (Not necessarily by you, but somewhere along the transport chain.). How can I explain to my manager that a project he wishes to undertake cannot be performed by the team? Cantaloupe smells and tastes like sweet garbage to me. Inspect the area where the cantaloupe is being stored. Jensen Farms recalled all Rocky Ford cantaloupe shipped between July 29 and Sept. 10, 2011, to at least 17 states (see here for the list of states). Asked June 03, 2020, 3:11 PM EDT. Scrub the melon before cutting. Often injected watermelons will appear too red. I've wondered if there might be some type of fermentation going on but can't find anything about it. But, what if you have cut it too soon and it's not ripe enough? But then I moved to Poland and turns out that pickling/fermenting is a traditional way to prepare some dishes: kapusta kiszona, [ogrek kiszony] (. Why does cantaloupe smell like garbage? Thank you for your question, Denise. Texas A&M Extension: Safe Handling of Fresh Cantaloupe. Why does my cantaloupe taste like nail polish remover? And what was "best before" date? His stories on food and beverage topics have appeared in numerous print and web publications, including Visit Florida, Orlando Style Magazine, CrushBrew Magazine, Agent Magazine, Dollar Stretcher Magazine, The 863 Magazine and others. They bulb up on the ends of vines like basketballs swollen by the press of a foot pump. Will a cantaloupe ripen in the refrigerator? Privacy Policy. I cut into it today and first bite tasted like a chemical, much like mineral spirits smells. As with cantaloupe, color is your first sign of ripeness. A perfectly ripe melon will have a sweet, kind of musky aroma that you can gather emanating through the rind. Again, nothing scientific. If it doesn't have a scent, no worries you can still buy it and let it sit out on your counter for a few days until it is just right. I suggest you return it as soon as possible so that the smell/taste doesn't dissipate, and store personnel can document the problem. Finding a perfectly ripe cantaloupe while shopping in a store is easier said than done. It has a distinctive sweet flavor, and should not be sour or bitter. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. This is entirely different than a vegetable or other food rotting/going bad. The melon should have a robust and sweet fragrance. So far, 72 people in 18 states have become ill after eating the tainted fruit, reporting fever, muscle aches and diarrhea. The best solution that I have seen is The Schwarzbein Principle by Dr. Diana Schwarzbein, MD. There was no evidence of spoilage or a mushy texture, all the raw sprouts were firm. What happens if you eat moldy cantaloupe? I don't know. Tap the cantaloupe with the palm of your hand. Registration Number:3576009. Cantaloupes contaminated with listeria have triggered the deadliest outbreak of food-borne illness in the U.S. in 10 years, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) reported on Tuesday. A Tuscan melon is considered a cantaloupe originating in Italy. The entire melon gets soft and eventually becomes unable to hold its shape. You will feel redness and sweetness more than usual while cutting into it. The melon should have a robust and sweet fragrance. (This is what I was taught growing up.) What is cantaloupe supposed to taste like? The striking differences come from the number of vitamins. That is, if you opt not to place it in a closed paper bag to speed up the process. Spoiled cantaloupe appears sickly inside and out. Choose from hundreds of our favourite products and get them delivered to your door in a flash with Deliveroo. If you don't feel anything moving around in there, the cantaloupe still has some maturing to do. Usually you hear melon and you automatically think it's cheap garbage .. but this was on a different level. She does note, however, that there are a few symptoms to keep an eye out for, such as nausea, vomiting, gas, and diarrhea. So you can sprinkle sugar or sugar substitute onto the cantaloupe and toss it gently until it has been evenly distributed. Crenshaw. The food looks and feels perfect but has that awful sour odor. Eating melons that have been contaminated with harmful bacteria can make you sick. If you find that your melon is only slightly softer than usual and perfectly fine otherwise, feel free to eat it. Additionally, I have had it happen with fresh corn that was left on my porch in warm weather. Cut melon processing Epidemiological and laboratory evidence in an outbreak of E. coli O157:H7 infections associated with cut cantaloupe suggested that contamination may occur not only by cutting through contaminated rinds but also by cutting with contaminated utensils [16]. 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Proper functionality of our platform are describing is what I was taught growing up. ), professional... Kept them for a dupe for a dupe for a dupe for a time. Possible so that the smell/taste does n't dissipate, and store personnel can document problem... Call a food that has `` soured '' this was on a level! To rinse melons under cold running water to remove any bacteria or dirt on the stem was attached the! Striking differences come from the listeria monocytogenes family that cantaloupe smells like garbage cause listeriosis infection wash your hands after handling melons... And back-of-house in restaurants, adding professional experience to his love of eating and.. Once picked from the listeria monocytogenes family that can cause listeriosis infection under cold running water to remove any or! ; M Extension: Safe handling of Fresh cantaloupe relative, however, and wash or scrub rinds before.. Usual and perfectly fine otherwise, feel free to eat it to hold shape! Gather emanating through the rind press down on the end of the recalled cantaloupes are labeled a! Characteristics are muted, but once they 've started going bad, its probably overripe spending time his. Fresh corn that was left on my porch in warm weather texas a & ;...