[BreakingFree]

We've had some discussions about the best way to store SuperFoods.
I saw this online today:

Don't chill that watermelon


New York Times

Some people think that watermelon is more refreshing when it's cool, but watermelon is more nutritious if it is stored at room temperature, an experiment performed by scientists at the United States Department of Agriculture suggests.

The researchers used three different types, or cultivars of watermelon, storing them separately at 41 degrees (refrigerator temperature), 55 degrees and 70 degrees for 14 days. The findings appear in the Wednesday issue of the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. At 41 and 55 degrees, the lycopene content changed little compared with fruit fresh off the vine. But the content when stored at room temperature increased as much as 40 percent in some types.


As important as the foods we buy is how and for how long we store them to preserve their nutrients. Any thoughts/advice?

[Jayde]

Wow! I can't imagine that there would be this much of a difference! I store watermelon in the frig all of the time.

Then again.. I wonder how my family would like warm watermelon. I tend to be sceptical... but its worth a try if there really is this much difference.

[olivia627]

I wonder if they mean prior to cutting it or post cutting? Prior to cutting it, I leave mine out. But after I cut it, I refrigerate it. It tends to rot quickly if left out in the heat.

[Jayde]

Originally Posted by olivia627

I wonder if they mean prior to cutting it or post cutting? Prior to cutting it, I leave mine out. But after I cut it, I refrigerate it. It tends to rot quickly if left out in the heat.

I've always refrigerated it even prior to cutting. Unless it was for a party or something and the frig was full... then I put it in very cold water in a large plastic bowl.... bowl is an understatement.. your sweet girls could probably use it as a swimming pool.