When cutting open a watermelon, we often expect to see bright red, indicating the melon’s ripeness. However, it can sometimes be white inside depending on how ripe it is, genetics, and other factors.
A watermelon that is white on the inside is usually an unripe watermelon that has been harvested too early. Watermelons may also be white because of unsuitable growing conditions, genetics, and white heart disease. They are generally safe to eat but may taste poorly.
This article will explain why watermelons are sometimes white inside and what to look for when choosing the best-tasting watermelon either from purchasing or harvesting from the garden.
Are There Watermelons With White Insides?
Yes, some watermelons are white from the inside. Usually, you would have seen watermelons with red flesh inside. However, there also exists a category of watermelons that have white insides.
The reason behind the white watermelon indicates the watermelon has not ripened fully, and such a class of watermelons takes some more time to ripen and become red.
Therefore, if you have picked up the watermelon too early or are thinking of doing so, you should beware of the kind of watermelons you will be getting.
Don’t let this be you:
Now you must be wondering why your watermelon hasn’t become white from the inside. What is the reason behind the red color of the watermelon from the inside? So, the answer to this is that red coloration in watermelons is caused by a phytonutrient called lycopene.
This phytonutrient handles the coloration of many fruits, including tomatoes and grapefruits. Therefore, until this lycopene is formed in the watermelons, the color of the watermelon from the inside will be white only.
Watermelons must be given adequate and proper time to ripen so that lycopene is formed and the color of the watermelon from the inside is red. The more the formation of lycopene, the darker and redder the watermelon will be from the inside.
It is pertinent to note that the watermelon takes approximately 70 to 90 days to ripen. There will be cases where the watermelons will ripen sooner, and the others will take some time.
So, if you pick up watermelons before they have ripened, you will find white flesh or fully white watermelons within the rind. Therefore, take your time picking up the melons.
But, the unripening of watermelons is not the only reason behind watermelons with white insides. The other reasons include the watermelon has yet to grow in optimal conditions.
Growing watermelons with deep red insides is a dream for gardeners who grow watermelons. However, this desire comes true if the watermelon is provided with a good and optimum environment for growth.
The other causes behind watermelon with white insides are given here:
- Providing inadequate care to the growing watermelons.
- Unwanted and unnecessary cross-pollination.
- Causing white heart disease.
- Planting the wrong seed (seed that has naturally white flesh inside) for growing watermelons.
These were the major reasons responsible for watermelons with white flesh inside. Be careful while you grow watermelons, and take care of all these reasons so that you can make sure that you aren’t growing watermelons with white insides. Grow them properly.
In case you are buying watermelons, then make sure that you check the cultivar to make sure that they are red from the inside.
Are Unripened Watermelons With White Insides Safe to Eat
The answer to this question is yes, unripened watermelons with white insides are safe to eat. However, the taste of unripened watermelons with white insides will not be good.
These watermelons are safe to consume, but they won’t be as tasty as the watermelons with red insides would.
This is because unripened watermelons don’t contain sugars which are vital for the sweetening taste of the watermelons. These unripened watermelons with white insides are in the stage of converting starch into sugars.
While consuming watermelons with white insides are not unsafe to consume, the taste may probably not be that sweet and delicious.
Since the reasons behind watermelons with white insides were stated in the previous section of the article, the whiteness in watermelons may also be because of underlying conditions such as white heart disease and so forth.
So, in this case, it is always advisable not to eat such watermelons because they can cause potential harm to your health.
As the best advice, always pick up the watermelons that have ripened fully to get a delicious taste so that you don’t have to compromise your taste and health.
How do I Know if my Watermelon is Bad Inside
Watermelons are a delicious treat to eat in summer; however, eating good and healthy watermelons is essential to sweeten your taste.
Hence, it becomes utmost necessary in such a case to establish whether your watermelons are bad from the inside and whether they are fit to eat. This section of the article will discuss identifying if a watermelon is bad from the inside.
Broadly there are three methods to identify good and bad watermelons. Let’s discuss all these methods one by one.
Method 1: Identifying the Signs of Spoilage
Scrutinizing Mold Outside:
If there are black or dark-colored spots on the surface of the watermelon, they probably indicate molds outside the watermelon. These molds clearly show that the watermelons have gone bad. One should eat something other than molded watermelons.
Hence, it is important to identify mold in watermelons. You can find it by the color of the watermelons. The color of the mold may be green, black, or white, or they even might have a fuzzy appearance.
Look for Healthy Color on the Surface of Watermelon:
Healthy watermelons are a boon for health. The color of a healthy watermelon always has a consistent pine-green shade or a striped appearance.
Striped watermelons comprise lime green and darker pine-colored strips. Therefore, the appearance of the watermelons is an indicator to identify whether the watermelons are healthy.
Look for Deep Red and Pink Color Inside the Watermelon:
Deep red or pink shows that the watermelons are healthy. However, if the color of watermelon is not one of these or is black, then you should avoid eating it.
Different watermelons have different internal appearances. For example, watermelons such as Desert king, and Yellow Baby have orange or yellow flesh.
Avoid Dry and Gritty Watermelon Flesh:
When the quality of watermelon is not good, the crisp flesh of the watermelon will fade. It will become shrivel. Sometimes, the flesh might become slimy and mushy. Therefore, it is better to avoid dry and gritty watermelon flesh.
Smell the Watermelon:
A healthy and edible watermelon always smells fresh and sweet. In contrast, a bad watermelon would always smell tangy and sour. Therefore, if the smell of watermelon has gone bad, it is better to throw it away.
Method 2: Extend the Shelf Life of Watermelon
Put Your Whole or Sliced Watermelon in the Refrigerator:
Watermelons typically require a temperature of 13 degrees Celsius. However, storing your fruit at 21 degree Celsius will increase the lycopene and beta-carotene content, both of which are vital antioxidants. Therefore, to get a healthy watermelon, always put the whole or sliced watermelon in the refrigerator at the right temperature.
Store Your Sliced Watermelon in an Airtight Container:
If you have sliced watermelon into further pieces, it is always advisable to store it in an airtight container or resealable bag. These are the two best things that will help preserve the watermelon’s flavor and freshness. Also, you can store your watermelon tightly in aluminum foil or plastic wrap.
Take Some Precautions While Storing Your Watermelons:
It is not advisable to freeze them altogether. This is because thawing or cutting open a frozen watermelon could become a potential reason for the juice to drop out.
However, if you still want to freeze your watermelon, place them in airtight containers or heavy-duty freezer bags. In estimation, the watermelon will stay good for another 10-12 months.
Method 3: Measure the Freshness of Watermelons Using Dates
Take Care of the Expiration Dates:
You might have visited a supermarket mall and must have seen the pre-cut vegetables and fruits. If you find a pre-cut watermelon, and buy it, then you will have to take care of the expiration dates properly.
These come in containers, and you must always check the details such as eat-by, best-by, or any other expiration date. Such pre-cut watermelons must be eaten within the expiration date. Otherwise, throw them away.
Sliced Watermelon Should be Eaten Within 5 Days:
If you have already sliced your watermelons, you should always prioritize eating them within 5 days. Properly stored and sliced watermelons stay good for around three to five days, and you should always try to eat those within a time frame for better and healthy taste.
Uncut and Unrefrigerated Watermelon Should Be Eaten Within 10 Days:
Uncut and unrefrigerated watermelon will turn bad after a week. Therefore, always try to eat watermelons within 10 days, so you don’t eat quality deteriorated fruit.
Avoid Eating Refrigerated and Uncut Watermelon After 2-3 Weeks:
If you have refrigerated your uncut watermelon and it has been around 2-3 weeks that you haven’t eaten it, then you should avoid eating such watermelon as it is not good for your health.
Uncut refrigerated watermelon should be consumed within 2 weeks. The longer the storage time, the longer the chances of unseating it.
So, these were the three best methods to help you determine whether a watermelon is good or bad. Chose wisely!
The Takeaway
There are watermelons with white insides, which indicates that they have not fully ripened. The red color in watermelons comes from the phytonutrient lycopene, and they need adequate time to ripen for this to occur. Other reasons for white flesh inside watermelons include inadequate care, cross-pollination, white heart disease, or planting the wrong seed.
Some watermelons are white on the inside, and these are usually unripened watermelons that have been picked up too early before harvesting.
The other reasons for white watermelons from the inside may be the unsuitable and unfit growing conditions. So, these are the major causes behind the formation of watermelons that are white from the inside.
Now you know everything important about the watermelons that are white from the inside. Now, it becomes your duty to choose the best and healthy watermelon for you and your family and enjoy this summer with the most delicious fruit.
