{"id":1540,"date":"2014-06-12T09:16:41","date_gmt":"2014-06-12T09:16:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.whataboutwatermelon.com\/?p=1540"},"modified":"2018-04-13T14:41:21","modified_gmt":"2018-04-13T14:41:21","slug":"ask-the-experts-why-is-it-important-to-wash-your-watermelon","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.whataboutwatermelon.com\/index.php\/2014\/06\/ask-the-experts-why-is-it-important-to-wash-your-watermelon\/","title":{"rendered":"ASK THE EXPERTS: WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO WASH YOUR WATERMELON?"},"content":{"rendered":"

ROBERT K. OF ANNAPOLIS, MD, ASKS: If you\u2019re not going to eat the outer rind of a watermelon, why is it so important to wash the watermelon before you carve it?<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"pic\"Excellent question, Robert. It\u2019s one that I\u2019m particularly fond of, because I\u2019m a stickler for this important but often overlooked step of the watermelon-eating process.<\/p>\n

Traditionally, we wash things to make them clean and generally more sanitary, right? We wash our hands before we eat (or at least we should). We wash our dishes. We wash our clothes. We wouldn\u2019t think of NOT washing these things on a regular basis, so it only makes sense to wash our food, too.<\/p>\n

The main reason it\u2019s recommended that you wash your watermelon is to remove any dirt or other unseen \u201cstuff\u201d that might linger on the outside and be transferred to the inside <\/em>of the watermelon when you cut into it. I\u2019m not going to go into details about what sort of \u201cstuff\u201d might be loitering on the rind, but just think about how many people may have handled your watermelon in the grocery store before you purchased it, and that should paint a clear enough picture for you.<\/p>\n

That wash-it-before-you-carve-it recommendation isn\u2019t just my opinion. It actually comes from the USDA<\/a>, the FDA<\/span> and the National Watermelon Promotion Board<\/a>.<\/p>\n

So how should you wash your watermelon? According to the aforementioned organizations, a quick but thorough bath under cool, running water should do the trick. For fruits with an outer surface that isn\u2019t eaten (like a watermelon), feel free to also give a light scrubbing with a clean washcloth or sponge. And although you might be tempted to add some dish soap or detergent to the mix to get things extra clean, the USDA and FDA recommend against that, because those cleaning solutions might not be approved by the FDA for use on food.<\/p>\n

From start to finish, your watermelon bath will only take a minute or two, but the results\u2014a clean and delicious watermelon\u2014are well worth it!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

ROBERT K. OF ANNAPOLIS, MD, ASKS: If you\u2019re not going to eat the outer rind of a watermelon, why is it so important to wash the watermelon before you carve it? Excellent question, Robert. 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