- Cantaloupe
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"Rockmelon" redirects here, for the band see Rockmelons. See also Cantaloupe (disambiguation).
Cantaloupe 
Scientific classification Kingdom: Plantae (unranked): Angiosperms (unranked): Eudicots (unranked): Rosids Order: Cucurbitales Family: Cucurbitaceae Genus: Cucumis Species: C. melo Subspecies: C. melo subsp. melo Variety: C. melo var. cantalupensis Trinomial name Cucumis melo var. cantalupensis[1]
NaudinSynonyms Cucumis melo var. reticulatus Naudin[1]
Cantaloupe (also cantaloup, mushmelon, muskmelon, rockmelon or spanspek) refers to a variety of Cucumis melo, a species in the family Cucurbitaceae which includes nearly all melons and squashes. Cantaloupes range in size from 0.5 to 5.0 kilograms (1.1 to 11 lb). Originally, cantaloupe referred only to the non-netted orange-fleshed melons of Europe; however, in more recent usage it has come to mean any orange-fleshed melon (C. melo).
Cantaloupes have been linked to listeriosis illness caused by Listeria bacteria[2] that contaminated the fruit while they were being stored and sorted in cold conditions after harvest.[3]
Contents
Cantaloupes by region
The European cantaloupe is lightly ribbed, with a gray-green skin that looks quite different from that of the North American cantaloupe.
Macro photo of the skin of a North American cantaloupe.
The North American cantaloupe, common in the United States, Mexico, and in some parts of Canada, has a net-like (or reticulated) skin covering. It is a round melon with firm, orange, moderately sweet flesh and a thin, reticulated, light-brown rind. Varieties with redder and yellower flesh exist but are not common in the U.S. market.
Cantaloupe or rockmelon from Australia and its cross section
Rockmelons on display in a fruit storeOrigin
The cantaloupe originated in India and Africa;[4] and was first cultivated by the Egyptians, followed by the Greeks and Romans.[5]
Production and uses
Cantaloupes on sale in Japan for 2800 yen each (Roughly 33.28 USD - based on currency rates September 2010)Because they are descended from tropical plants, and tend to require warm temperatures throughout a relatively long growing period, cantaloupes grown in temperate climates are frequently started indoors, and grown indoors for 14 days or longer, before being transplanted outdoors.
Cantaloupes are often picked, and shipped, before fully ripening. Postharvest practices include treatment with a sodium hypochlorite wash to prevent mold growth and Salmonella growth. This treatment, because it can mask the melon's musky aroma, can make it difficult for the purchaser to judge the relative quality of different cantaloupes.
Cantaloupe is normally eaten as a fresh fruit, as a salad, or as a dessert with ice cream or custard. Melon pieces wrapped in prosciutto are a familiar antipasto.
Because the surface of a cantaloupe can contain harmful bacteria—in particular, Salmonella [6]—it is always a good idea to wash a melon thoroughly before cutting and consumption. Only store the fruit for less than three days after cutting to prevent risk of Salmonella or other bacterial pathogens.
A moldy cantaloupe in a Peoria, Illinois market in 1941 was found to contain the best and highest quality penicillin, after a worldwide search.[7]
Nutrition
Cantaloupe melon Nutritional value per 100 g (3.5 oz) Energy 141 kJ (34 kcal) Carbohydrates 8.16 g - Sugars 7.86 g - Dietary fiber 0.9 g Fat 0.19 g Protein 1.84 g Water 90.15 g Alcohol 0 mg Caffeine 0 mg Vitamin A equiv. 169 μg (21%) - beta-carotene 2020 μg (19%) Thiamine (vit. B1) 0.041 mg (4%) Riboflavin (vit. B2) 0.019 mg (2%) Niacin (vit. B3) 0.734 mg (5%) Pantothenic acid (B5) 0.105 mg (2%) Vitamin B6 0.072 mg (6%) Folate (vit. B9) 21 μg (5%) Vitamin B12 0.00 μg (0%) Vitamin C 36.7 mg (44%) Vitamin E 0.05 mg (0%) Vitamin K 2.5 μg (2%) Calcium 9 mg (1%) Iron 0.21 mg (2%) Magnesium 12 mg (3%) Phosphorus 15 mg (2%) Zinc 0.18 mg (2%) Percentages are relative to US recommendations for adults.
Source: USDA Nutrient DatabaseCantaloupes are a source of polyphenol antioxidants, chemicals which were thought to provide certain health benefits to the cardiovascular and immune systems by regulating the formation of nitric oxide,[citation needed] a key chemical in promoting health of the endothelium and prevention of heart attacks. However, recent research has indicated they may overcompensate, as the body already has mechanisms to deal with oxidation.[citation needed]
Cantaloupes also are an excellent source of vitamin C.
Footnotes
- ^ a b "Taxon: Cucumis melo L. subsp. melo var. cantalupensis Naudin". Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN). United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Beltsville Area. http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/html/taxon.pl?12566. Retrieved 2010-12-09.
- ^ "Multistate Outbreak of Listeriosis Linked to Whole Cantaloupes from Jensen Farms, Colorado", from the US federal agency Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
- ^ "Environmental Assessment: Factors Potentially Contributing to the Contamination of Fresh Whole Cantaloupe Implicated in a Multi-State Outbreak of Listeriosis". FDA US Food and Drug Administration. 21 October 2011. http://www.fda.gov/Food/FoodSafety/FoodborneIllness/ucm276247.htm.
- ^ Ensminger: 159
- ^ Andrews: 1956
- ^ Australian Govt Health Warning, October 2006
- ^ History of Penicillin - Alexander Fleming - John Sheehan - Andrew Moyer
See also
- G.W. Swink, inventor of the cantaloupe crate
References
- "Cucumis melo". Integrated Taxonomic Information System. http://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=22362. Retrieved September 3, 2002.
- Ensminger, Audrey H (1995). The Concise Encyclopedia of Foods & Nutrition. CRC Press: ISBN 0849344557.
- Melons and Watermelons in the Classical Era, Alfred C. Andrews, Osiris, Vol. 12, (1956), pp. 368–375
- http://www.experiencefestival.com/a/Cantaloupe_-_Origin/id/62238hi
External links
- Nutritional and Historical Information
- MSNBC Article on Farming of Hybridization That Mentions Cantaloupes
- Sorting Cucumis names – Multilingual multiscript plant name database
- Growing cantaloupes in the home garden
Melon Bailan melon • Bitter melon • Canary melon • Cantaloupe • Citron melon • Citrullus ecirrhosus • Cucumeropsis mannii • Galia • Hami melon • Honeydew • Horned melon • Melon ball • Montreal melon • Muskmelon • Paddy melon • Piel de Sapo • Santa Claus melon • Sprite melon • Sugar melon • Sun Melon • Watermelon • Watermelon steak • Winter melon • Yubari King
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