Watermelons are able to contain a huge amount of nitrates, and this largely depends on the large size that these melons can reach. In the summer, almost all people enjoy juicy watermelon pulp, which is most prone to absorbing harmful substances. To protect yourself and your loved ones from possible poisoning, you should learn how to determine the amount of toxic components on your own.
The nitrates in watermelon themselves are practically non-toxic, but nitrites are formed from them, the danger of which lies in the fact that they can provoke a lack of oxygen in the blood, resulting in hypoxia. With excessive intake of nitrates in the body, the incubation period of the disease can be from 2 to 6 hours, after which signs of acute poisoning begin to appear.
Symptoms of nitrate intoxication:
- appearance of cyanosis of mucous membranes, lips, face and nails;
- nausea;
- increased salivation;
- vomit;
- stomach pain;
- diarrhea;
- totalweakness;
- drowsy;
- severe headache;
- discoordination of movements.
Beware of nitrate watermelon
In a watermelon overfed with nitrates, the flesh is intensely red with a slight purple tint. The fibers that run from the core to the crust are yellow, while normally they should be white. The "wrong" watermelon has a smooth, glossy cut surface, and if you grind its flesh in a glass of water, it will turn pink or red. It should be noted that early products contain an increased amount of nitrates, so it is better to buy them in late summer or early autumn. The properties of the fruit depend not so much on the season as on growing and watering conditions. The rate of nitrates in watermelon should not exceed 60 mg per kilogram of the product, and anything above these indicators poses a threat to human he alth and life.
Choosing the "right" watermelon
If you tap on the peel of a normal watermelon, you can hear a slight ringing, and the nitrate product makes a specific sound of a deflated rubber ball. When a he althy fetus is compressed, a characteristic crack is heard, it has a clear bright pattern, and an earthen spot is visible from one of its sides. The nitrates in watermelon make the flesh glossy and overly smooth, when it should be grainy and sugary. A dangerous fruit often has rotten spots on its crust, which indicate that it was in these places that harmful substances were injected. Purple or yellow streaks in the pulp indicate that the nitrates in the watermelon are much higher than the allowable limits. It should be noted that large fruits tend to contain more harmful substances, so it is recommended to choose medium-sized gourds.
There are a lot of tips on how to test a watermelon for nitrates, but for this there is a special device called a nitrate meter. With the help of such a device, you can quickly and accurately determine the amount of harmful substances contained in fruits. By the way, nitrates in watermelon accumulate unevenly: their high concentration is observed under the rind of the fruit, so this part must be taken for analysis.
