Due to the recent outbreak in the United States where 29 consumers have died, it’s understandable that you may want to stop purchasing cantaloupes.

Here are some safety tips to remember:

1.  Choose cantaloupes which are free of blemishes, cuts, sunken areas or mold growth.  Usually, melons do have a lighter area than the rest of the melon as this part has been resting on the ground as it grows.

2.  If the cantaloupe is not quite ripe when you bring it home, it can be left out on the counter for a few days to ripen.

3.  Don’t wash cantaloupe until ready to eat.  If you do so and then refrigerate, this can trigger mold growth as cantaloupes are classified as a “dessert fruit” and need to be kept dry.

4.  Cantaloupe should be stored in the refrigerator’s crisper as this provides optimum temperatures for storage.  Contact should not occur with meat and poultry as bacteria can spread through cross-contamination.

5.  Storage times vary depending on how ripe the cantaloupe is as the riper the melon, the shorter the storage time.  The recommended time is from 5 to 15 days .

6.  Always remember to wash your hands before handling cantaloupe and use clean, sanitary utensils, cutting boards and equipment.  If the cantaloupe has been kept on the counter before using, that surface must be cleaned as well.

7.  When ready to eat, wash the cantaloupe under water with a clean vegetable brush to remove bacteria which can stick within the netted rind of the melon.  Blot with paper towels to remove excess water, place on a clean surface, and cut off the stem end up to 1 inch from the end with a clean kitchen knife.  This should be done on a cutting board and not in the kitchen sink.

8.  Place the melon on a clean surface and continue cutting from the blossom end to the stem end and keep the cut ends facing downwards. Wash the knife and let dry.

9.  Scrape out the seeds gently with a clean spoon.  Cut into pieces and then eat.

10.Soap or detergent should never be used on the cantaloupe rind as it is porous and can absorb residues.

11. If all the melon is not consumed, the remaining pieces should be peeled, covered and refrigerated.  Throw out melon if left out longer than 2 hours at room temperature or 1 hour when temperatures reach over  32 C.

Remember these food safety tips next time you purchase cantaloupes.

SOURCE:  USFDA Food Safety News