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ASK THE EXPERTS: HELP! I LEFT MY WATERMELON IN MY CAR!

KIM ASKS: I left my uncut watermelon in the car overnight accidentally! The temperature yesterday reached 100. Will the watermelon still be safe to eat?

We hear so much about the dangers of leaving children and pets in cars during the hot summer months, but no one ever talks about the tragedy of leaving a watermelon in the car. I guess because it’s not really a “tragedy,” but that depends who you ask.

Your dilemma is a frightening one and also tough to answer. I spoke with some of the experts at the National Watermelon Promotion Board and their advice is that your watermelon might be a goner, but it’s hard to say for sure.

My advice when it comes to questions about whether a watermelon is still good is to use the “When in doubt, throw it out” rule.



But before you toss it out with last week’s leftovers, you might also put it through the “Look, Smell, Taste” test. Cut it open and, if it looks alright, smells alright and tastes alright, then it’s probably alright. If it fails any part of the “Look, Smell, Taste” test, you might have to throw it out and buy a new one.


Categories: General
The Watermelon Guy:

View Comments (8)

  • I use the “When in doubt, throw it out” rule too. Of course with the watermelon left in the car overnight I also use the “Look, Smell, Taste” test before I make a final decision. It would be a shame to waste a good Watermelon.

  • I did the same thing, I left a watermelon, uncut in my car overnight it was approx. 90-98 degrees outside. I woke up, forgot and left it in the car the next day and went to work. By the time I got off work, the day being about 98 degrees I said OH NO I got to get this watermelon home somewhere cooler, I looked down and it had foam oozing out of the sides of it. It was Uncut! But the several places the foam was oozing out were light brown spot that wee originally on the watermelon. My question is, the foam what did that mean? had it boiled inside and it was forming. At one point I was going to take it home and cut it but got scared that it would maybe explode or something and threw it out. Has this happened to anyone else?

  • Lets say someone wanted to do a Watermelons makeup....I know it sounds idiotic but it happened, anyways this person put foundation on a part of the watermelon and left it for a couple days the watermelon was found all moldy with a hole in it. My question is did the makeup cause the hole and mold or did the watermelon fall?.

  • ? I did the same thing! I didn't even think anything about it because I figured that it's hot in the field where they grow. I brought it inside and I had it sitting on my counter for about 2 days then I found a puddle on the counter and on the floor and it was oozing. ? I returned it to the store because I thought it was a bad watermelon. I guess I will treat them more like meat and dairy products in the future.

  • I just left a watermelon in the car overnight and half of it he next day. The watermelon had exploded and the smell in the car is disgusting, I will call it the smell like rotten meat. So I definitely will never do that again and I would never attempt to eat one left in the car. I’m just hoping I can eventually get the hideous smell out of the car.

  • It was quartered wrapped in plastic in paper bag with cold drinks in car 24 hours in 66 degree weather by the bay.it looks ok I'm gonna fridge it overnight and look see in the morning. Any comments or advice or similar stories.