More from melons

Whole watermelons are more nutritious if stored at room temperature, say scientists from the US Department of Agriculture.

Watermelons contain significant amounts of the powerful antioxidant lycopene, a red pigment that’s also present in tomatoes and which is believed to help decrease the risk of prostrate cancer.

To test the effects of temperature on the nutritional content of melons, scientists stored them at 4°C (refrigerator temperature), 13°C and 21°C for four days.

They found that the lycopene content of the watermelons is increased by as much as 40% as part of the natural ripening process when stored at room temperature.

Source: Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry, August 2006