Fresh watermelon on the New Year's table is not fiction at all. Each hostess has the opportunity to pleasantly surprise her family and guests by offering them a juicy and tasty berry in the winter. After all, it is believed that these summer fruits can not lie for a long period without spoilage. Read how to store fragrant berries so that they stay fresh for a long time, with all the valuable properties, in this article.
How much watermelon can be stored
The main factors that directly affect the safety of the watermelon are the temperature inside the store and the integrity of the peel.
Whole
Uncut fruit is able to not spoil for a long period. It can remain fresh for up to three months if certain conditions are met.
Did you know? In 1981, a Japanese farmer from Zantsuji managed to get a square-shaped watermelon. The aim of the invention was a more compact storage of crops.
Cut
Many are interested in the question of how quickly the sliced watermelon deteriorates and are there any ways to preserve it. In contrast to the intact fruit, chopped must be used as food as soon as possible. After opening the fetus can hold up to two days. The watermelon peel reliably protects the flesh from various bacteria and microbes.
Without such a fence, the subcutaneous part of the fetus turns into an ideal environment for the life of pathogenic microorganisms. And an open product lying in the open air not only loses its taste, but also poses a threat to health, as it can provoke intoxication of the body. However, there are reliable methods for preserving the sweet berry in a cut state, which will be discussed later in the article.
How to choose a watermelon for long-term storage
When purchasing a watermelon, focus on the following points:
- Grade. Give preference to late varieties and hybrids: Icarus, Delight, Spring, Dessert, Black Prince, Bush 334, Holodok, Melania F1 and others. Such berries are characterized by strong thick skin. Procurement should begin at the very end of the season, that is, from mid-September to early October. If you plan to store the crop from your own summer house, harvest it 2-3 days before full maturity.
- Appearance. The surface of the fruit should be smooth and shiny. Select instances without obvious defects.
- Dimensions The optimal weight of the berry for storage is 4–5 kg. Too large samples for this purpose should not be used.
Methods for storing watermelon at home
The shelf life of the crop of a given crop depends on how competently the fruits were prepared and planted in the pantry. We present to your attention various techniques for preserving the freshness of watermelon at home so that you can choose the most optimal one for yourself.
In fridge
In the absence of a cellar, a cold store can serve as an alternative storage. In the case of a cut berry, there are much more nuances. To prevent rotting and unpleasant taste of the pulp, the cut should be kept under a cling film.
Important! When storing a whole watermelon on a shelf of a refrigerator, it is important to take into account its condition: there should be no significant damage.
Or you can put half of the fruit on a large plate with the slice down, and cover with a plastic bag on top. Arbitrarily chopped pieces or cut balls should be placed in a deep bowl and covered with a film on top, without allowing the material to come into contact with the pulp.
The whole berry lasts much longer in a cold place. Fruits of late varieties lie in the refrigerator for 70–100 days. Shelf life without compromising the quality of early varieties with thin peels is not more than 60 days.
In the freezer
If the fruit will be used to prepare various refreshing drinks, freezing is an ideal way to preserve freshness. Before laying in the freezer, remove the peel from the watermelon and all the seeds from the pulp. Then divide the fruit into small portions and distribute it in containers or bags.
For convenience and space saving the freezer can grind the pulp in a blender. Thus, you will get a finished workpiece that can be put in the freezer for a whole year.
In the cellar
Harvest watermelon in the cellar is usually stored in the following ways:
- In the drawers. 1/3 of the wood container is filled with sand, grain or ash. Fruits have the stalk down at a 5-8-centimeter distance from each other. Then the box is filled to the top with a similar mixture.
- In wax, paraffin, clay, alabaster or gypsum. Even simple candles melted over low heat will do. Clay should be diluted with water to a thick slurry state. Coat the peel of the watermelon with any composition you choose. It is desirable that the layer comes out thick and uniform.
- In an earthen hole. In a cellar with an undeveloped floor surface, dig a recess measuring 35–45 cm. At the bottom of the pit, you need to arrange a pillow of straw or sawdust. Place the berries on top so that they do not touch.
Did you know? The largest watermelon in the Guinness Book of Records was grown in the United States. Its weight was approximately 120 kg.
On the balcony
On the floor of the glazed balcony, as far as possible from the window openings, you need to spread a thick layer of soft litter. The fruits are wrapped in thick paper and laid out at a distance from each other. From time to time the berries need to be turned over, and the balcony itself aired. Mistresses often wonder why watermelons are turned over. The fact is that without this measure, the fruits lie on their sides.
An important condition for storing crops on the balcony is protection from direct exposure to the sun. If the street is too warm, the whole berry can be stored only for 7 days. But a cut watermelon, even if all the rules are followed, can deteriorate overnight, so the balcony is chosen as a storehouse in late autumn, when the temperature does not rise above +5 ... + 7 ° C, and the sun is not so bright. During this period, the opened berries are kept on the balcony for a day or two, and the whole - more than a month.
Optimal conditions for long-term storage
Before laying the crop for storage, it must be inspected once again for cracks and scratches. Choose a well-darkened room with a natural or forced ventilation system. Do not allow air humidity to rise above 85% - the minimum acceptable limit is 65%. As for the temperature at which the watermelon should be kept, the optimal range is +3 ... + 5 ° C.
Important! Keep the watermelon separate from other vegetables and fruits - they create a pathogenic flora. In addition, the fruits should not be in contact with each other.
If the permissible air humidity is increased in the pantry and there is a likelihood of mold or rot, pre-treat the fruit peel with a two percent lime solution. In any case, the room itself should be well ventilated. If the cellar is chosen as the storage, it will not hurt to process it with anti-fungal agents. And finally, make sure there is enough space on the shelves or shelves so that the fruits can be easily inspected and rotated.
Can watermelons ripen during storage
The probability of ripening watermelon during storage is directly related to the conditions of its maintenance. If the indoor temperature does not exceed +3 ... + 5 ° С, the subcutaneous part of the berry will not change in any way. At a stable room temperature (+20 ... + 25 ° С) almost ripe berries can reach full maturity.
In the basement and cellar, it is better not to store unripe fruits, as they will remain immature. Following the above instructions, you can enjoy fragrant summer berries in the cold season. Such a treat will fill a frosty and snowy day with the taste of a real summer.
