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Cantaloupe
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Cantaloupe (also cantaloup) refers to two varieties of muskmelon (Cucumis melo) , which is a species in the family Cucurbitaceae (a family which includes nearly all melons and squashes). Cantaloupes are typically 15–25 cm in length and are somewhat oblong, though not as oblong as watermelons. Like all melons, cantaloupes grow best in fertile, well-aerated soil that is free of encroaching weeds.
European cantaloupe is Cucumis melo cantalupensis.
Nutrition Facts
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Encyclopedia
Cantaloupe (also cantaloup) refers to two varieties of muskmelon (Cucumis melo) , which is a species in the family Cucurbitaceae (a family which includes nearly all melons and squashes). Cantaloupes are typically 15–25 cm in length and are somewhat oblong, though not as oblong as watermelons. Like all melons, cantaloupes grow best in fertile, well-aerated soil that is free of encroaching weeds.
Cantaloupes by region
The European cantaloupe
The European cantaloupe is Cucumis melo cantalupensis. Its lightly-ribbed, pale green skin looks quite different from that of the North American cantaloupe.
The North American cantaloupe
The North American cantaloupe, common in the United States and in some parts of Canada, is Cucumis melo reticulatus (or sometimes C. melo melo var. cantalupensis), a different member of the same muskmelon species. It is named reticulatus due to its net-like (or reticulated) skin covering. In Australia and New Zealand, it is called rockmelon due to the rock-like appearance of the skin of the fruit. It is called a spanspek or sweet melon in South Africa, where it is harvested during the summer months October through February. It is a round melon with firm, orange, moderately-sweet flesh and a thin reticulated light-brown rind. Varieties with redder and yellower flesh exist but are not common in the U.S market.
Origin
The cantaloupe originated in India and Africa.
The cantaloupe was named after the comune Cantalupo in Sabina, in the Sabine Hills near Tivoli, Italy, a summer residence of the Pope. It was originally cultivated about the year 1700 from seeds brought from Armenia, part of the homeland of melons.
The most widely enjoyed variety of European cantaloupe is the Charentais, cultivated almost exclusively in France. Pope Innocent XIII (1721-1724) is said to have enjoyed sipping Port wine from a partially hollowed melon half as an apéritif.
Cantaloupes were first introduced to North America by Christopher Columbus on his second voyage to the New World in 1494. The W. Atlee Burpee Company developed and introduced the "Netted Gem" in 1881 from varieties then growing in North America.
Production and use
For commercial plantings, the United States Department of Agriculture recommends at least one hive of honeybees per acre (4,000 m˛ per hive) for pollination. Good pollination is essential, not only for the number of fruits produced, but also for the sugar content of these fruits.
Cantaloupes are classified into two major groups in the U.S.: Eastern and Western Shippers. Eastern shippers have gray-green immature color and historically have had deep lateral indentations (sutures or ribs). These melons often have high levels of aromatics and volatiles and are usually referred to as muskmelons. Western shippers have a dark green immature color, do not have ribs or sutures, and have less volatiles and aromatics. These melons often have a crisper sweeter flavor without as much flavor.
In 2007 a new classification of melons were introduced into the U.S. and Canadian markets from Italy. These are called Harper Long Shelf Life (LSL) melons. These are non-climacteric melons that do not exhibit an ethylene burst during the ripening process. Thus they are firm and sweet but do not have any significant levels of volatiles or aromatics. In other words they are sweet but lack any musk flavor. These melons have quietly become the norm for Central American producers because of savings in labor cost. LSL varieties only need to be harvested twice versus the 20+ times that traditional western shippers need to be harvested.
Choosing a ripe melon depends on the preferences of the individual. For a heavy musk flavor and softer flesh look for an Eastern Shipper with a strong yellow color, no stem (peduncle) attached, and a strong musk odor. For a sweeter, crisper melon look for a Western shipper without stem (peduncle) and a mild musk odor. For a very sweet melon with little or no musk chose a fruit that has the stem still on the fruit and no aroma.
Cantaloupe is normally eaten as a fresh fruit, as a salad, or as a dessert with ice cream or custard. Melon pieces wrapped in prosciutto are a familiar modern antipasto. Sanjeev Kapoor describes the charentais variety: "the orange, sugary and fragrant flesh makes this fruit popular both as a dessert or main course. These have smooth gray-green rinds and very fragrant orange flesh. It keeps well when stored in a cool, dry place and ripens after several days in a warm room."
Because the surface of a cantaloupe can contain harmful bacteria—in particular, salmonella —it is always a good idea to wash a melon thoroughly before cutting and consumption. Optimum preparation procedures Only store the fruit after cutting for less than three days to prevent risk of Salmonella or other bacterial pathogens.
A moldy cantaloupe in a Peoria, Illinois market in 1941 was found to contain the best and highest quality penicillin after a worldwide search.
Cantaloupe can also be extracted to isolate an enzyme known as superoxide dismutase (SOD), essential for maintaining strong antioxidant defenses in the human body. When paired with a wheat gliadin delivery system to protect it from other more destructive enzymes (a complex known as glisodin), cantaloupe extract has clinically-proven benefits for a variety of health applications.
Food chemistry
Cantaloupe are a source of polyphenol antioxidants, chemicals which are known to provide certain health benefits to the cardiovascular system and immune system. These chemicals are known to up regulate the formation of nitric oxide, a key chemical in promoting health of the endothelium and prevention of heart attacks.
Cantaloupes also are an excellent source of vitamin C and beta carotene.
External links
- – Multilingual multiscript plant name database
Footnotes
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