Watermelon and his healing properties known to people for a long time. The first mention of this berry dates back to the 15th century BC. Images of watermelons are found in ancient Egyptian tombs. He is mentioned in the poems of Virgil and the Bible, and in Ancient China There were entire holidays dedicated to this fruit. Today there are many types of watermelons. Every year, breeders develop new varieties of watermelons, improving the marketable, healthy and taste qualities of the fruit. With such diversity, it can sometimes be difficult to decide. Not to mention that choosing a fruit is not so easy, even knowing the high-quality varieties of watermelons, since among the same type and harvest there can be both tasty and sweet and tasteless berries.

What does a quality watermelon look like?

A high-quality berry must be ripe. Ripe watermelon is optional big watermelon. Which of a particular harvest the fruit is ripe can be determined by a combination of characteristics. A ripe watermelon should have a yellow stem, but not dry. If watermelon varieties are striped, then the contrast of the stripes should be maximum. The yellow spot doesn't have to be large, and it doesn't matter how rich the color is. A ripe watermelon has a dense and shiny upper rind that cannot be pierced with a fingernail. When tapped, the sound should be resonant, and when squeezed, the crust bends a little and cracks. Whether a berry is male or female does not in any way affect the taste and quality of the fruit. The inside of a watermelon doesn't have to be bright red. There are varieties of watermelons with pink flesh.

What does a low-quality watermelon look like?

• A soft watermelon, no matter how good it may be in all respects, is of poor quality, since it is either overripe, rotten, or picked green and was stored incorrectly for too long.
• Big size a yellow spot indicates that the fruit did not have enough heat during ripening and will be unsweetened.
• A dry stem does not mean that the berry is ripe, but that the watermelon has been stored for a long time and the stem has had time to dry out. Such a fruit can be either ripe or unripe.
• A watermelon cut at the market is of poor quality, even if it is ripe, as it becomes a breeding ground for all microbes. Even if you cut a watermelon at home, you should eat it immediately. Therefore, choose a fruit of such a size so as not to leave it in the refrigerator for later.

How to check the quality of watermelon

• Try piercing the peel with your fingernail. If you succeed, then the fruit is unripe, even if it shines. The surface may be polished because it has been rubbed heavily.
• The seller must have a certificate for the product indicating the date and place of harvest.
• It is impossible to chop a watermelon, no matter what it is, early or late. When pricked, the skin is damaged and rotting immediately begins. Early watermelons are special varieties and greenhouse cultivation in the first period of plant growth. You can only check for nitrates at home by cutting the fruit. If the flesh is intensely red with purple tint, and the fibers are yellow, then the watermelon ripened on a large amount of mineral fertilizers.
• If you grind a small amount of watermelon pulp and throw it into a glass, the water should become cloudy. If it turns pink or red, then the fruit contains a lot of nitrates.
• A ripe watermelon floats on the surface of the water, and a green one sinks.

Ah, summer, summer! It's a great time, when all people are resting, children are on vacation, adults are going on their well-deserved vacation. And immediately trips to the beaches and trips to the sea begin. But summer is not only sun and tan, but also delicious watermelons! In the summer, this large berry becomes a faithful companion on every trip to the forest, on a picnic, on a hike, to the beach, or on a visit. You can just buy a watermelon for home. He will not let you get bored and stay hungry. However, choosing a ripe, juicy and tasty watermelon is not the easiest task. To buy only tasty products, you need to know when to buy them and what they should be.

How to choose a ripe watermelon

A well-ripened berry is tasty, healthy, and simply a pleasure. Many people do not know how to choose the right watermelon. In order for the purchased berry to please you with its taste, you need to know a few tricks. These are the ones you need to focus on when you go shopping for a watermelon:

• Place of trade.
• Berry color and contrast.
• Sound qualities.
• Peel requirements.
• Weight range.

Requirements for place of purchase

To purchase a truly delicious watermelon, you need to decide where it is best to buy it. You should not buy miracle berries in street stalls. Of course, it is better to give preference to trusted places (shops, shopping centers, civilized markets). The first thing you need to pay attention to when choosing a watermelon is its storage conditions. Berries should be placed in trays that are specifically designed for this purpose. Moreover, their height should be at least a quarter of a meter.

In addition, watermelons must be hidden from direct sunlight, that is, they must be under a canopy. Don't be shy about asking for a certificate. The seller must have a document on hand that will at least indicate that his product has passed the examination and does not contain nitrates exceeding the established level. If your health is valuable, then you should not be afraid to stand up for your rights. One simple question about the certificate can easily prevent the possibility of food poisoning.

If you are satisfied with the quality of the place where watermelons are sold, and the owner has Required documents on your product, but its shelter is located next to a highway, then you should not buy a watermelon in this place, even if it seems ideal to you. According to their properties, melons perfectly absorb everything from environment, because there are many microcracks on their bark. Stripes that are sold along highways, absorb large amounts of exhaust gases and harmful substances. Eating them can cause serious damage to your health.

What a ripe watermelon should sound like

A ripe berry, when tapped, should respond with a dull sound, as if there was nothing under its bark. And if it is possible to squeeze the watermelon on both sides, then you should definitely perform this procedure. If the minke whale responds with a sonorous crack, then you can be sure that it was collected from the garden on time, it is very juicy and ripe.

Requirements for the condition of the peel and its color

Watermelons should be of the correct spherical shape. This criterion does not apply to Japanese square berries, which are grown according to special technology in glass cubes is a completely different matter. The color of the watermelon peel should be dark, and the darker it is, the better and tastier it will be, and the stripes should be as light as possible. The higher the contrast of the berry, the more likely it is that it will be tasty and juicy. As for the peel, it should be hard and shiny, always without plaque. Hardness is determined by fingers: if the berries have a soft skin, then they are most likely unripe. It’s worth trying to rub the shell with your fingernail. If it scratches easily, this is definitely a plus in favor of choosing this watermelon. There should not be any cracks, stains, etc. on the surface of the fruit. It must be solid, because all extraneous points indicate the unnaturalness of the minke whale. In addition, such inclusions can indicate the introduction of injections of various drugs.

Most likely, you may have heard before that if there is a yellow spot on the side of a watermelon, this indicates its ripeness. Yes, this is true, but this mark must be bright yellow color, by no means white. White spot it just shows how the watermelon lay (and possibly was stored for a long time) on the ground. Such a fruit is unlikely to please anyone with its taste.

Often, people do not know how to choose a sweet watermelon and ask the seller for help. Unfortunately, the time has passed when people behind the counter were afraid for their reputation and were happy to help the buyer. Now the majority is aimed at selling their goods at any cost. Find a good seller who will really help you choose good fruit, - very great luck. Therefore, every person should know how to choose ripe watermelon Right.

You should not buy berries with a cut out of the middle. This is bad not only from a hygienic point of view (after all, you don’t know what kind of knife was used to open the opening), but also from the point of view of preservation, since once cut or at least incised, the berry will no longer retain its taste for a long time if it is not place in the refrigerator. Also, you should not buy damaged watermelons, even if they are offered at a discounted price. It is better to pay more for tasty and ripe fruit than to suffer from stomach problems later.

Another useful and no less important factor when choosing a watermelon is the dry tail of the berry. When ripe, the minke whale itself breaks away from the place of its ripening on the melon patch, like any other of its family. But, unfortunately, a dry tail may also indicate that it was picked a long time ago, so this sign is only an additional one in the question of how to choose a good watermelon.

Weight requirements

When choosing a watermelon, you should give preference to those fruits that are small in size. It is better that the weight does not exceed ten kilograms. Stripes heavier than this mark are large in volume and are usually famous for their unnaturalness. But you shouldn’t chase small watermelons - they are usually unripe and a bit bland. The main thing is that before you eat the purchased minke whale, you should smell it. So to speak, to check whether he grew on his own or whether the miracles of chemistry helped him. If it emits a sour smell, it is better not to take it: you can easily get nitrate poisoning. If pronounced specific aroma is not observed - you can be proud of yourself: you bought a good, natural watermelon.

How to choose a watermelon girl

Many people do not like to eat watermelon due to the presence of large quantity sunflower seeds In order not to suffer with them, you can cheat a little and find special fruit, namely a watermelon girl. Buying it is not very easy, because almost everything on sale is for boys. And according to statistics, for every twenty watermelon boys there is only one girl and, as you understand, meeting her at the market is very rare.

So, how to identify a ripe girl watermelon? Stripes are identified by gender only by their butts. " Soft spot"The girl's watermelon is flat with a large spot, while the boy's watermelon is raised and has a smaller spot. The difference in this mark on the butt lies in the flower that blooms as the girls mature.

If you know how to choose a ripe boy watermelon, then buying a girl berry will not be difficult either.

How to choose between two identical watermelons

We are all very indecisive and want to get the most best product. People always feel unsure about which berry to give preference to when they are satisfied with both. How to choose a delicious watermelon from two that look identical? When choosing between two identical berries, you should give preference to the one that is lighter. The entire weight of a watermelon depends on how much water it contains. With the same volume, a larger mass will indicate its juiciness, and a smaller striped berry will have sweeter pulp.

The first signs of a tasty watermelon

Let’s briefly summarize all the information on how to choose a ripe watermelon, and what you should pay attention to:

• The average size.
• Smooth, clean, shiny skin.
• High contrast watermelon stripes.
• A small yellow or orange spot on the side, but in no case white.
• The peel should feel firm when pressed with your fingernail.
• Dry tail.
• When choosing between a boy and a girl, take the girl, and distinguish between them by their curvy and flat butt.
• Crunches when pressed, buzzes when slapped.
• No cracks or damage to the skin.
• Large volume and low weight.
• No sour smell when cutting.

According to the content of folic acid, which regulates the balance chemical processes and influencing the processes of blood formation, this delicious pumpkin is a leader among other fruits, vegetables and berries. Watermelon is also rich in iron - only spinach and lettuce contain more of it, so it is recommended to eat it to prevent anemia. Fructose provides a feeling of fullness, fiber removes cholesterol, and pectin substances normalize digestion. Until recently, watermelon was considered a berry. However, watermelon is now classified as part of the Cucurbitaceae family. But many people know it as a berry.

Microelements (potassium and magnesium) affect intracellular conductivity and help with edema and hypertension. Watermelon also contains small amounts of vitamins B1, B2, PP and C. The list of diseases for which the use of watermelons is indicated is significant.

When to buy watermelon

Since watermelon is a seasonal product, some unscrupulous producers, trying to get maximum profit, use excessive amounts of fertilizers: sodium, potassium, calcium and ammonium nitrates. Their excess accumulates in the watermelon pulp. However, sometimes weather conditions without human intervention turn a valuable product into a time bomb. During a rainy summer, a lover of the hot sun risks becoming nitrate.

This is why it is better to refrain from buying watermelon at the beginning of the season. Wait until the watermelon ripens in natural conditions. The time when Astrakhan and Volgograd watermelons reach technical ripeness occurs in the second half of August - early September. There are, of course, early varieties that also grow in the Krasnodar Territory and Stavropol Territory, but no one can guarantee that they have ripened on their own.

Where to buy watermelon

I have already written how to recognize deception using scales (body kit). When choosing a watermelon, pay attention to how the outlet is equipped. Watermelons should be placed on special trays or ventilated nets, under an awning or canopy. Resist the temptation to buy juicy fruit at roadside stands “along the way.” Watermelon absorbs very quickly harmful substances. A couple of hours on the highway - and heavy metals from the exhaust gases are already in the tender pulp. And a mountain of watermelons usually lies for several days before they are completely sold. And on the highways they often sell substandard goods, documents for which in most cases are missing.

Don't buy stripers if they are lying on the ground. Microcracks in the peel are the entrance gates for malicious microbes seeking to get from the soil into the nutritious sweet environment of the pulp in order to live happily and multiply there rapidly. It’s better not to know how your encounter with their population might end.

It’s a good idea to ask for a certificate for the product and inquire about the availability of a health certificate from the seller (even if you seem like a bore, you will remain a healthy bore). Also, do not buy watermelon in the supermarket - they are usually delivered there unripe.

Choosing the right watermelon

If the retail outlet is equipped according to all the rules and there are all the necessary documents, you can, in fact, begin to select the fruits, doing this methodically and point by point.

• A medium-sized watermelon will taste better. It is generally accepted that the larger the watermelon, the sweeter it is. In fact, you shouldn't take the most large watermelon in the party.
• From two berries of the same size the one that is lighter is sweeter and riper.

• Appearance of the peel. Evaluate what the fruit you like looks like. Stripes should be contrasting(if it is a variety that provides for their presence). Blurred ones indicate the unnaturalness of its ripening.
• You need to take a watermelon with a glossy skin. A dull peel may indicate the use of nitrates.
• A good watermelon without external damage. The peel should not have any flaws, cracks or scratches.
• If the rind can be pierced with a fingernail and smells like freshly cut grass when rubbed, the watermelon is unripe.
• The contact patch with the ground should be yellow or orange color. Its white color indicates the presence of nitrates.
• Tail and bottom. The vast majority of consumers believe that a dry tail is a sign of ripeness of the berry. But it can dry out and is still stored before sale. You need to pay attention to halo under ponytail- a ripe watermelon has it keratinized.
• The sex of the specimen is determined by the bottom on the side opposite the tail. The “girl” has a wider one. The girl watermelon is sweeter and has fewer seeds.
• Squeeze and tap test. Remember, in the cartoon “Well, wait a minute!” Did the hippopotamus choose the watermelon in this way? Apparently watermelons are in a cartoon point of sale were immature if he liked the wolf's head better. A ripe fruit makes a dull, resonating sound when tapped, and cracks when squeezed with hands.. The accuracy of such a diagnosis still depends on the availability of certain experience.
• Buy only whole watermelon. When buying half a watermelon, you risk acquiring bacteria from the knife or the hands of the seller.
• And... listen to your intuition ;).

Home inspection

What is watermelon poisoning, I wish you didn’t know. At best, you risk spending a lot of time in a cozy small office in the company of a “white friend”, at worst... But let’s not talk about sad things, let’s try to avoid this. Even a child can check at home whether watermelon contains nitrates. The simplest test coupled with external signs They will give away the deceiver with his head.

The appearance of the rind and its condition are easy to consider before purchasing, but the pulp can tell a lot about the berry. You can also assess its condition at a retail outlet if there is a watermelon cut in half on the display case for a sample.

Signs of excess nitrate levels:

• yellowish veins running from the center to the crust (normally they are white);
• perfectly smooth, smooth flesh when cut (in the correct one, the grainy structure is clearly visible);
• rich flesh color;
• a piece filled with water turns it pink or red (in the absence of nitrates, the water simply becomes cloudy).

If the watermelon passed the tests with dignity and proved that it is as pure as a baby’s tear, and at the same time turns out to be ripe and tasty, it makes sense to return to the seller and take a small batch for storage.

Storing watermelons

For long-term storage, you should purchase small fruits (4-5 kg) with dry tails and small yellow spots on the sides. It is better to do this at the end of September. Each watermelon must be thoroughly washed, dried and placed in a soft net. It is advisable to store watermelons in a suspended state. High humidity will be a plus; such an environment prevents the loss of moisture from the fruits. Optimal temperature storage +5 °C. But even in warmer conditions, watermelons store well, but you will have to eat them faster. At good conditions storage, it is quite possible to preserve watermelons until the New Year.

So, it's simple! To choose the right watermelon and save it, follow three conditions:right time, right place and... ripe watermelon!

“How to choose a watermelon?” — a question arises in the minds of thousands of people as soon as green-striped beauties begin to appear on the shelves of shops and markets. The task is not easy, but solvable.

You just need to remember a few proven ways to identify a ripe and sweet watermelon.

There are a number of characteristics that will help you choose a truly ripe and sweet specimen from a pile of alluring striped fruits. Here is the treasured list:

• size;
• spot on side;
• unharmed;
• sound when tapping;
• color and structure of pulp;
• season;
• appearance of the crust;
• "floor" of watermelon.

In addition, there are quite popular “signs” of watermelon ripeness, which actually do not work and will not help you in such a task as choosing a ripe watermelon. The most common of them is the myth that a ripe watermelon must have a dry tail.

Many people try to choose a fruit that is not too large. Some fear that it will be too heavy and difficult to carry, while others are afraid that the watermelon has become large only because of the abundance of nitrates in it.

But there are different varieties of watermelons, and in some varieties the size of the fruit can reach 20 kilograms. Therefore, when choosing, it is better to give preference to a medium-sized watermelon. The rule of the golden mean also works in this case.

Ripe watermelon does not hide its “cheeks”

For reference: a “cheek” is a small light spot on the side of a watermelon, formed in the place where the watermelon lay when ripe. The spot is not a sign of disease or immaturity; the sun simply did not touch that area of ​​the crust.

So, looking at the light spot on the rind will help you determine how to choose a good watermelon. It's simple here: the more yellow tint he will have it, so much the better.

But when buying a watermelon with a white circle on the side, you risk running into a tasteless product.

The size of the spot also requires attention. Be aware that a large spot indicates that the watermelon has been ripening for a long time in not too warm conditions. Because of this, the fruit loses its taste and becomes less juicy.

Buying a watermelon at the market or from the back of a car on the side of the road, Special attention pay attention to this characteristic.

Under no circumstances should watermelon have the following flaws:

• cracks;
• dents;
• cuts;
• rotten areas (even very small ones!).

The fact is that the juicy and nutritious pulp of a watermelon is an ideal environment for the proliferation of bacteria, which, together with air and roadside dust, can get inside in abundance.

Eating watermelon with such a surprise can lead to poisoning and gastrointestinal upset. The same applies to cut watermelons, so don’t try to save money by buying not a whole watermelon, but only a half. Such frugality can cost you dearly.

The most commonly used method of checking watermelon for ripeness is tapping. Yes, here’s the problem: everyone knocks, but few people remember what the sound of a ripe fruit should be. So remember: a ripe and juicy watermelon makes a ringing, booming sound, while an unripe one makes a dull sound.

An overripe watermelon also sounds dull, in which there is already too much moisture and it has begun to sour. It is also better to refuse such a purchase. Thus, a voiced sound is good, a voiceless sound is bad.

To be sure, you can also squeeze the specimen you like with your hands. A slight crackle indicates readiness for use. The main thing is not to overdo it.

Color and structure of pulp

And this is a characteristic that will help you determine the ripeness of the fruit after cutting it. If the purchase is made in a supermarket, you can see halves of watermelon on the counter.

They wrap themselves in cling film, which almost eliminates the entry of bacteria into the pulp, and provides you with the opportunity to study the product in detail. So, how to choose a delicious watermelon according to appearance pulp?

There are two main positions: color and structure. The color of the pulp should be pinkish.

Scarlet color indicates the presence of nitrates or that the watermelon is overripe. Both of these things are not in his favor. The structure should be porous and granular. These watermelons are sometimes referred to as “sugar” watermelons.

Selling season

As a rule, watermelons begin to be sold almost from the beginning of summer. However, if you want to get your fill of the real southern fruit, and not the product of chemicals, you will have to wait until about mid-August.

Of course, there are also early varieties, but it still takes time to transport them. You may be lucky and the July watermelon will indeed be sweet, but it is unknown how healthy it will be.

A ripe watermelon can be easily distinguished from its peers by paying attention to the appearance of the rind.

Here Several main signs of a tasty watermelon:

• the stripes forming the pattern must be clear;
• glossy peel;
• the crust is hard, it cannot be damaged without effort;
• When the colored layer of the peel is damaged, a recognizable smell of fresh grass appears.

Signs indicating immaturity or disease of the fetus:

• the pattern is broken or uncharacteristic, the stripes are blurred;
• dullness of the peel;
• the crust can be easily damaged even with a fingernail.

Choose a watermelon with more space between the stripes, as they are considered to be sweeter.

"Floor" of watermelon

It is believed that girl watermelons are sweeter than boy watermelons, although the division itself is arbitrary. How to choose a watermelon girl? Just look at the speck left in the place where the flower once was.

If the spot is flat and quite large, then it is a girl. In male watermelons, the spot is convex and smaller in size.

This division has nothing to do with biology and exists only to simplify the selection process. Indeed, girl watermelons turn out to be juicier and sweeter in practice. There is an assumption that this is due to the characteristics of pollination.

Is a dry tail a sign of ripeness?

It is believed that when a watermelon ripens, it can no longer take nutrients and moisture and under its own weight is separated from the bush. In general, the theory is correct, but it is broken by the fact that in practice the watermelon can be separated from the food route before being cut.

And the tail dries in 3 days, so there may well be a green watermelon with a dry tail on the counter.

If you still do not want to give up this method, pay attention to the tip of the ponytail. Even with a dried stalk, you can determine whether it was cut or broke off naturally.

All characteristics listed above are general.

It doesn’t hurt to highlight several varieties of watermelons that end up on tables more often than others and highlight their features.

1. Kherson watermelons. Sugar Kherson watermelons never grow too large, their weight does not exceed 10 kg. If they show you a twenty-kilogram giant and claim that it is from Kherson, do not believe it. It is either of a different variety or grew on nitrates alone. The appearance of watermelons of this variety is classic: bright light stripes, oblong shape, soft pinkish flesh and rather thin peel.
2. Crimean Crimson Gloria. Watermelons of this variety can be really large. The average weight of one specimen can range from 10 to 17 kg. In addition, watermelons of this variety can withstand long-term transportation. They are also grown in the south of Russia. In appearance they resemble the Kherson ones, but differ in their thick skin and greater weight.
3. Hybrid chill. The peculiarity of this variety of watermelons is that they can be stored for a very long time, until the New Year. You just need to provide the fetus comfortable conditions storage To do this, place it in a dry, dark place. However, representatives of this variety appear on the market only in early September, as they ripen late.
4. Skorik. Watermelons of this variety are early and appear on the shelves among the first. They can be distinguished by the dark green, uniform color of the skin and low weight - no more than 7 kg.
5. Photon. The same applies to early varieties and differs from Skorik only in that it has a light skin with pronounced stripes.

Market or store?

Wherever you buy this juicy berry, this place must meet certain requirements. They are their own for both the market and the supermarket.

Watermelon on the market

To begin with, it should be noted that a market does not mean a spontaneous accumulation of tents near your entrance, but a territory specially designated for this purpose. And tents along the road are not even considered, since buying watermelon there can result in severe poisoning instead of enjoying the taste.

So, The following requirements must be met by the owner of a retail outlet selling watermelons:

• the presence of a canopy that protects watermelons from direct sunlight;
• distance from the roadway;
• the storage tray is located at a height of at least 20 cm from the ground;
• availability of an Epidemiological Surveillance service certificate for each batch of goods.

Watermelon in the store

When buying a watermelon in a store check the following points:

• watermelons are not stored on outdoors, under the sun or near the roadway;

Another carefree summer has flown by, taking with it green meadows, birdsong and sunny warm days. It is gone, leaving us only pleasant memories that will remind us of a great time for a long time. With the onset of autumn, the nights lengthen, it rains and cool winds blow. Bright colors fade and gradually disappear, and the leaves falling from the trees cover the roads like a multi-colored blanket.

At this time, in stores you can see counters overflowing with watermelons, which are simply impossible to pass by. We buy a large ten-kilogram watermelon to please the whole family, and we hope that it will be ripe, juicy and sweet. But, unfortunately, hopes are not always justified. Today you can have a tasty treat, and tomorrow you can buy a spoiled watermelon, which will immediately “fly away” into the trash. How to choose a watermelon and avoid unpleasant surprises? This is what we will talk about today.

What to look for when choosing a watermelon

The main criteria by which you need to choose a large berry:

• Watermelon season. The first watermelons appear on store shelves in early July, but the season for these berries begins in the second half of August. This is the first thing you need to pay attention to. If you're craving watermelon and are thinking of buying it at the beginning of summer, remember that it's not a berry, but a nitrate bomb. You need to buy your first watermelons in August!
• Hard shiny crust. Externally, the “striped bun” should look beautiful - a hard shiny crust that is difficult to pierce with a fingernail, a rich color of the stripes and correct form. When the fruit ripens, it stops absorbing moisture and soon the peel hardens. This is why it is important to pay attention to the rind of the watermelon.
• Safe and sound. The watermelon rind, as we have already said, should be hard, shiny and beautiful, but it should also not have any cracks or dents. The fact is that through microcracks, and even more so through damaged areas, bacteria penetrate into the sweet, juicy pulp and actively multiply there. If you eat a piece of such watermelon, you can get serious food poisoning.
• Yellow flank and dry tail. When the “minke” is on the field, he “tracks” his barrel, which should be yellow or orange. Once ripe, the tail of the watermelon dries out and then it becomes detached from the melon. This is why many people believe that a dry tail is an indicator of ripeness. But in reality this is not entirely true. The tail can also dry out on unripe fruits that have been picked long ago, for example, during storage or transportation, so we do not recommend giving this sign much importance.
• "Sounding" watermelons. When choosing a watermelon, tap it. If it responds loudly to the pat, then it is a good watermelon, but if the sound is dull, then it is better to choose another berry. But to completely cast aside all doubts, try putting a watermelon to your ear and squeezing it with both hands. If it crunches and the skin gives in, then this is what you need.
• Availability of document. You have every right to demand a quality certificate, and the seller, in turn, is obliged to present it to you. Remember that any type of product has a quality certificate. If they tell you that they do not have such a document, you can leave without hesitation, since we're talking about about your health and the health of your family. You don’t want your children to eat watermelon of dubious quality, do you? If the seller shows you a photocopy of the document at your request, pay attention to the seal. It should be wet (colored), and not xeroxed along with the text.

1. Many people mistakenly believe that nitrates are injected directly into the watermelon, so if you can’t see the injection hole on the skin of the fruit, then you can safely make a purchase. Well, this is not true! A chemical injection is given into the leg while the watermelon is still in the field.
2. If you think you bought a watermelon with nitrates, then check it out. Fill a glass with cool boiled water and drop a piece of watermelon pulp into it. If the watermelon loses color and the water turns pink, then you are not mistaken - the watermelon contains nitrates.
3. If, when you cut a watermelon, you see that the veins are yellow, then the watermelon is nitrate. The veins should be pink.
4. Never buy cut watermelons, even if they are in clear bags.
5. Never buy watermelons near the road. This is not worth doing because it is always dusty and dirty there. If the fruit falls somewhere and cracks even a little, a huge number of microbes will get into the pulp. Also, roadside workers do not have quality certificates, which only means that the risk of buying a spoiled watermelon increases.
6. Please note that watermelon is a bisexual berry. The “boys” have a spoiled tail with a convex side, and the “girls” watermelons have a flat side with a wide circle. Why do I need to know this? - you ask. In order to choose a sweeter and delicious fruit. “Girls” have fewer seeds and more sugar. Therefore, if possible, it is better to buy a female fetus.

Finally

Before eating, be sure to wash the fruit, and store cut watermelon only in the refrigerator. Now that you know how to choose a watermelon, nothing will stop you from buying a ripe, juicy, sweet and tasty fruit. We've told you a lot, but perhaps you have your own secrets for choosing a watermelon?