Nitrate watermelon signs. How to test watermelon for nitrates

Now, people are ready to stuff food with chemistry, just to give them a marketable appearance, and immediately put them up for sale. But who wants to go to the hospital after eating their favorite fruit or vegetable? For this, it is worth reading articles to distinguish a good watermelon from a watermelon stuffed with chemical additives.

The more colorful and contrasting the watermelon, the better and juicier it will be.

An important indicator of the state of the watermelon is the color of the veins inside the pulp of the watermelon. If their color is white, then the watermelon can safely go to your stomach. If streaks of yellow or purple are seen, then this is a bad sign - such a watermelon is either not fully ripe, or the result of a pest invasion, but in most cases this is the effect of nitrates.

I immediately remember the hippopotamus from "Well, wait a minute"

But oddly enough, this method almost always works, if you have the strength, of course, to squeeze the watermelon.

Gloss check

Also pay attention to the seeds - they must be mature!

Fresh, snowy, soft-crispy

I will cut open, I will cry into the scarlet sweetness.
This is a miracle, moreover, a real one -
Our Baskunchak, Liman watermelon!

What a twist

Usually they say that there are few nitrates in the middle, and a lot - closer to the peel. As it turns out, this is not always the case.

water test

And you can also check this: throw a piece of watermelon pulp into the water, if it sinks, the watermelon is saturated with nitrates, and if it remains to swim, it’s good!

By the way, about how to choose the right melon and what to cook from it, read here!

Cut off from melons

When the watermelon ripens, it is separated from the melon by the fact that its tail dries up on its own. If you do not see the tail or it is somehow tucked up, most likely the seller is hiding something from you.

The ripeness of a watermelon and the naturalness of its origin can also be determined by an earthen spot.

On one of the barrels of watermelon, there must be a brownish-yellow or orange-yellow spot - this is the side of the watermelon lying on the ground. But keep in mind that the stain should not be white!

Oh, that sound

The sound of a watermelon depends on whether the pulp inside has softened or not. Just the green fruit will ring, and the ripe watermelon will make a dull sound.

We check how the bees worked on the watermelon

These nets appear because the bees touch the ovary during pollination, respectively, the more pollination occurs, the sweeter the fruit will be.

Touch the peel for density

When the watermelon ripens and separates from the melon, it is no longer able to absorb water, because its rind hardens. If you can easily pierce the peel with your fingernail, you have an unripe fruit.

Girl or boy?

Watermelon is a bisexual berry: the “male” individual is more elongated, has a convex bottom and a small circle, while the “female” berries have a wide circle. "Girls" are considered tastier: they have fewer bones, and more sugar.

If you still got on a nitrate watermelon, then the following symptoms will bother you

2-6 hours after eating watermelon:

• nausea, rarely vomiting;
• diarrhea (up to 10-15 times a day);
• abdominal pain, cramps;
• weakness;
• dizziness, headaches;
• temperature rise.

What to do in case of watermelon poisoning:

1. Rinse the stomach with plenty of warm, salted water or a slightly pink solution of potassium permanganate.
2. Take enterosorbents - drugs that neutralize poisons in the intestinal lumen. The most popular: activated carbon, Polysorb MP, Enterosgel, Smekta.
3. Drink as much liquid as possible to enhance the elimination of poisons from the body, as well as prevent dehydration.
4. Drink sweet tea with lemon after nausea stops.
5. Do not take antidiarrheals and painkillers, they mask the true state of the body.

For reference:

Permissible norm of nitrate content in watermelons: 60 mg per 1 kg.

Experts in the laboratory tested the samples for nitrates and were pleasantly surprised: none of the watermelons, even those bought off the road, showed them, at least in the amounts that can be detected using the official test method.

Experts in the laboratory checked the samples for nitrate content: none of the watermelons, even those bought from the road, were found to contain them.

Andrey Mosov, head of the Roskontrol expert direction, doctor:“Such results of the study cannot but rejoice. However, I want to warn about another danger that watermelons can pose. According to sanitary rules, it is strictly forbidden to sell sliced ​​watermelons and other melons in bazaars and open markets. The pulp of a watermelon, especially lying in the sun, is an excellent breeding ground for microbes that have entered the berry from the outside. It is when an incision is made from the surface of a watermelon that microorganisms can penetrate into the flesh, causing damage to the watermelon or even dangerous to human health. It is not forbidden to sell gourds in parts in supermarkets, however, how safe they are depends on the conditions and time of storage.

• Yellow fibers that run from the core to the crust. In a quality watermelon, they should be white.
• The cut surface is too smooth, glossy. In a "good" watermelon, it is uneven, sugary, sparkling with grains.
• Purple flesh.

Who are the rules for?

Alexander Borisov, Co-Chairman of the Union of Consumers "Roskontrol": Unfortunately, this is already a common situation. Of course, for such actions, or rather, inaction, administrative liability is provided for, as for "Violation of the consumer's right to receive the necessary and reliable information about the product (work, service) being sold, about the manufacturer, about the seller, about the performer and about the mode of their work", however, the amount of fines is calculated from 500 rubles to 1 thousand rubles for officials, and from 5 to 10 thousand for legal entities. Obviously, such fines do not work, they do not motivate sellers to comply with the law.

Watermelons are able to contain a huge amount of nitrates, and this largely depends on the large sizes that these can reach. In the summer, almost all people enjoy juicy watermelon pulp, which is most prone to absorption. To protect themselves and their loved ones from possible poisoning, you should learn to determine the amount of toxic components on your own.

By themselves, nitrates in watermelon are practically non-toxic, but nitrites are formed from them, the danger of which is 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 be detected.

Symptoms of nitrate intoxication:

• the appearance of cyanosis of the mucous membranes, lips, face and nails;
• nausea;
• increased salivation;
• vomit;
• stomach pain;
• diarrhea;
• general weakness;
• drowsiness;
• Strong headache;
• impaired coordination of movements.

Caution - nitrate watermelon!

In a watermelon overfed with nitrates, the flesh is intensely red with a slight purple tint. The fibers running 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 norm of nitrates in watermelon should not exceed 60 mg per kilogram of the product, and anything above these indicators poses a threat to human health and life.

Choosing the "right" watermelon

If you knock on the rind 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 healthy 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 too smooth, although it should be normal.
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 permissible limits. It should be noted that, as a rule, they contain more harmful substances, so it is recommended to choose melons of medium size.

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 fetus, so it is this part that must be taken for analysis.

Watermelons are considered one of the most beneficial foods for the body. They are low-calorie, consist of a large amount of water and contain vitamins. But do not forget about the harm that fruits with a high content of nitrates can cause, which they are able to accumulate in themselves.

Nitrates are minerals used in agriculture. They are obtained by the action of nitric acid on oxides, salts, and metals. Nitrates are highly soluble in water. The main use of nitrates can be called plant fertilizer. As you know, there are no products without nitrates. All plants contain nitrates. However, a large amount of them can be toxic and dangerous to humans.

By themselves, nitrates do not carry any particular danger, but when they enter the gastrointestinal tract, they turn into nitrites (salts of nitric acid), which are very toxic to the body and lead to oxygen starvation of tissues.

Nitrates, when ingested, can reduce the amount of vitamins in the food that enters the body, as well as lead to problems with the thyroid gland. Exceeding your daily intake of nitrates can lead to indigestion with blue skin, difficulty breathing and diarrhea, and other unpleasant signs of food poisoning.

Most often, the presence of nitrates in watermelons is checked in the laboratory, but there are special signs by which you can determine the presence of nitrates yourself at home. This article will tell you how to check watermelon for nitrates with simple methods.

It is worth noting that the quality of a watermelon must begin to be determined even before it is purchased. In order to protect yourself when buying it, you should pay attention to some important signs. First, buy watermelons only in specialized places and markets that comply with all hygienic and sanitary standards for food storage. Sellers must have special permits to sell.

Fruits should be neatly laid out and stored in clean containers on special trays. Watermelons should never be stored on the floor to avoid contact with dirt. You should not take risks and buy a cracked, broken or wrinkled fruit. A ripe watermelon that has grown naturally has a dry tip and will ring when tapped. It is not recommended to eat the fruit if, when examining its cut, the surface has a slightly purple tint.

Pay attention to the season and don't buy watermelons too early. A smart buyer always knows when to refrain from buying. Nitrate fruits are most often sold until mid-July. If you have been buying watermelon since mid-August and September, you can not worry about the presence of harmful substances in fruits.

Many sellers are happy to give their customers the opportunity to taste a piece before buying. In supermarkets, for demonstration, they cut the fruit in half and wrap it in a thin cling film, through which you can easily see all the flaws. However, only visually it is impossible to determine that watermelons are nitrate-free.

Most accurately, a watermelon can be checked using a special device - a nitrate meter. However, this device is expensive. Folk signs, by which you can determine the amount of nitrates, are also quite effective.

Video “Checking watermelon for nitrates”

Validation rules

There are several methods for testing watermelons for nitrate content at home. For example, if you drop a watermelon into a container and it floats, this means that the fruit is of high quality. If you lowered a watermelon into a bath, for example, and it went to the bottom, this will indicate a high content of nitrates in it.

If you find whitish and yellow streaks in the pulp of a watermelon, this also indicates nitrates. There is another proven folk method with which you can check the fruits at home. To do this, you only need a large number of water.

It is worth cutting off a small piece of pulp, crumbling it and lowering it into a small container of water for fifteen minutes. If the watermelon is safe, the water should just turn a little cloudy and take on a pale pink hue. But if the water turns bright pink or red with a touch of purple, this will indicate a high content of nitrate pollution. It is better to get rid of such a watermelon and in no case eat it.

Do not forget also about the rules for the use of watermelons. This fruit is a complete independent dish that should be consumed separately from the rest of the food. It is recommended to eat it 2 hours before the main meal or after 2 hours after it. This is due to the fact that you can not slightly overload the stomach by combining watermelon with other food.

Before eating the watermelon, take a few minutes to thoroughly wash it under running water. Nitrates in fruits and vegetables are unevenly distributed. Do not forget that the largest amount of nitrates accumulates in their peel. Do not eat away the pulp to the very crust.

What to make sure

It also does not hurt to verify the safety of the products sold by familiarizing yourself with the documents that guarantee their quality and compliance with all standards. The surface of a quality fruit should not be grainy, not perfectly smooth. The granular structure of the pulp indicates the naturalness of the product. However, you should also not buy too grainy watermelon, as it may be overripe. When cutting, pay attention to the fibers. In quality fruits, they should be white. Yellowish fibers can most often indicate a high nitrate content.

Ask where the watermelon came from. The color of most fruits is pink, and only a few northern varieties have a bright red color. Such specimens, as a rule, are not huge. Therefore, if you have a ten-kilogram fruit with red pulp in front of you, then most likely it is stuffed with nitrates.

Video “Check melons for nitrates”

It is often believed that a huge amount of nitrates can be found in melons. To check on the spot whether this is so, we bring to your attention this technique described in the video.

: share experience. It is easy to choose a watermelon and test it for nitrates on your own.

A giant berry that both children and adults love to eat. In addition to taste, it is also very useful, it is often used in diets, it also helps to cleanse the kidneys and remove toxins. With all the usefulness of this berry, you should be wary of nitrates, which many manufacturers add to watermelons. What to do in such a situation? How to test watermelon for nitrates at home?

Let's try to figure out how to learn how to determine a healthy berry from a harmful one and what to do if you have already eaten a watermelon with nitrates?

How to test watermelon for nitrates at home: general information

As we mentioned above, a very tasty and healthy product, but not everyone can grow them on their own. The thing is that this fruit has an extremely unpleasant ability - the accumulation of nitrates. So, in case of excess of the norm, they can cause an upset of the digestive system and poisoning. If they enter the body regularly, this is fraught with the formation of nitrites, which can cause more serious health problems.

The biggest danger awaits lovers of this dessert with the beginning of the season. The reason lies in the fact that producers, in order to get an early harvest as soon as possible, feed almost all crops with nitrates. The situation is aggravated by the fact that many of them, in order to get the maximum profit, cannot stop and exceed the allowed norm of nitrates several times. So, watermelon, which is "stuffed" with so many chemicals, turns from a tasty treat into a dangerous product that threatens your health, primarily the digestive system.

Important! You should not buy the first early berries and fruits, as they represent the maximum health hazard. This is especially true for children.

Of course, the best and most accurate option for determining the number of nitrates in a berry would be to use laboratory methods or a special device - a nitrate meter. However, not everyone has this device at their disposal. Therefore, when choosing a fruit when buying, first of all, you should carefully examine and study it.

In fact, such a test can be done without laboratory conditions or special devices; there are signs that will allow you to make a qualitative assessment of the suitability of this berry for food and at home.

In addition, you need to learn how to choose the right berry, since its quality can be easily determined even before buying. To do this, you need to look at the watermelon itself and the equipment of the trading place (it often happens that even a quality fruit can deteriorate due to insufficiently good conditions for its storage).

How to check watermelon for nitrates at home: how not to make a mistake with the choice

Nitrates tend to be perfectly soluble in water, most often used to fertilize plants. Not everyone knows that each product initially contains a certain amount of nitrates. But their number is not at all critical and they do not pose any serious danger to human health.

By themselves, nitrates do not pose a serious threat, however, when they enter the gastrointestinal tract, the process of transformation into nitrites begins, which, in turn, have a strong toxicity to the body and lead to oxygen starvation of tissues.

So, how do you determine if a quality one is offered to you even before you buy it? Look at the conditions under which the fruits are stored, are they neatly stored in clean containers? Make sure that the watermelons do not lie on the floor and do not get dirt on them. No need to take risks and get a cracked, broken or wrinkled fruit. A ripened watermelon grown in its natural environment will have a dryish tip, and if you knock on it, it will make a characteristic ringing. It is not desirable if the surface of the berry, when examining its cut, shimmers with a purple hue.

Follow the season and do not buy the first. An experienced buyer always understands at what point you need to abandon the purchase. Watermelons with the highest amount of nitrates can often be bought in the first half of July. If you acquire fruits starting from the second half of August and later, you can no longer be afraid that the amount of “chemistry” in them exceeds the permissible norm, most often they are simply not there.

Most sellers allow their customers to taste a small piece immediately before purchase. In a supermarket, in order to show the fruit from the inside, it is practiced to cut it into two parts, after which it is wrapped in a thin food film, through which any flaw can be easily seen. However, visual inspection does not make it possible to determine the presence of "chemistry" in the berry.

The most accurate information about the amount of unnecessary substances in the berry can be obtained thanks to a special device - a nitrate meter. But, unfortunately, this device is not cheap, and not everyone can afford it. Therefore, in this case, it is better to use folk signs.

How to check watermelon for nitrates at home: good advice

There are several options for checking the fetus at home:

1. completely lowered into a container filled with water (for example, in a bathroom). If the fruit begins to float - there is no doubt about its quality, if it goes to the bottom - it is better to refuse to use it, because it is full of nitrates;
2. in a clean fruit on the cut there will be irregularities, grains. If the cut is perfectly even and bright, such a fruit is not safe, especially for children;
3. the presence of large veins in the pulp of a yellowish or whitish hue is a clear sign of the presence of chemicals;
4. examine the cut in the light - if its surface is somewhat shimmering with a purple hue - it is better not to eat it;
5. take a piece of pulp, dip it in clean water and leave for 15-20 minutes. If the water starts to become cloudy - the fruit is of high quality, if it starts to be painted over in a bright pink or reddish color - it is full of chemical fertilizers.

How to check watermelon for nitrates at home: how to use the berry correctly

Do not forget about the simplest rules for using this delicacy:

• watermelon can be considered a completely independent dish. It is better to eat it 1-2 hours before meals (no need to combine watermelon with other food during
• avoid stomach overload);
• before consuming the fruit, do not forget to thoroughly rinse it under running water;
• the maximum amount of nitrates is stored in the peel of the berry, so you do not need to eat it up to the very crust.

If you still came across a fruit with nitrates and you ate it, after a few hours you should expect the following symptoms:

• nausea, in rare cases vomiting;
• diarrhea;
• colic, abdominal cramps;
• general malaise;
• headache or dizziness;
• the temperature rises.

What to do if you feel that you have been poisoned by a watermelon:

1. first of all, gastric lavage should be done with the maximum amount of warm water with a pink solution of potassium permanganate;
   take enterosorbents - drugs that help neutralize poisons in the intestines. These include: activated charcoal,
2. "Enterosgel", "Smekta" and others;
3. drink the maximum amount of fluid - this will speed up the removal of unnecessary substances from the body and reduce the risk of dehydration;
4. drink sweet tea with lemon - this will stop the process of nausea.
5. no need to use drugs for pain and diarrhea - they will not correct the situation, but only mask the real state of the body.

As you can see, it is not so difficult to determine the presence of nitrates in watermelon yourself. Follow simple rules and be vigilant, do not eat suspicious watermelons and do not give them to children. Be healthy!