cantaloupe

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also can·ta·loup (kăn'tl-ōp') pronunciation
n.
  1. A variety of melon (Cucumis melo var. reticulatus) having a tan rind with netlike ridges and a sweet fragrant orange flesh.
  2. Any of several other related or similar melons.

[French cantaloup, perhaps from Italian cantalupo (from Cantalupo, a former papal villa near Rome) or from Cantaloup, a village of southern France.]


In the United States the name applied to muskmelon cultivars belonging to Cucumis melo var. reticulatus of the family Cucurbitaceae. However, this is a misnomer, and the name cantaloupe should be restricted to cultivars of C. melo var. cantalupensis. The fruits of this group are rough and scaly, with deep vein tracts and a hard rind. Cultivars of the variety cantalupensis are grown in Europe and Asia, but seldom in the United States.

The fruits grown in the United States are round to oval; the surface is netted and has shallow vein tracts. At maturity the skin color changes from dark green or gray to light gray or yellow. The flesh is usually salmon-colored, but it may vary from green to deep salmon-orange. When mature the melon is sweet, averages 6–8% sugar, and has a distinct aroma and flavor. The flesh is high in potassium and vitamin C, and, when deep orange, rich in vitamin A. See also Muskmelon; Violales.


[KAN-teh-lohp] Named for a castle in Italy, the true cantaloupe is a European melon that is not exported. American "cantaloupes" are actually muskmelons. When perfectly ripe, these cantaloupes have a raised netting on a smooth grayish-beige skin. The pale orange flesh is extremely juicy and sweet. Choose cantaloupes that are heavy for their size, have a sweet, fruity fragrance, a thick, well-raised netting and yield slightly to pressure at the blossom end. Avoid melons with soft spots or an overly strong odor. Store unripe cantaloupes at room temperature, ripe melons in the refrigerator. Cantaloupes easily absorb other food odors so if refrigerating for more than a day or two, wrap the melon in plastic wrap. Just before serving, cut melon in half and remove the seeds. Cantaloupe is an excellent source of vitamins A and C.

Nutritional Values:

The Nutritional Value for: cantaloup, raw

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Quantity Energy
(calories)
Carbohydrates
(grams)
Protein
(grams)
Cholesterol
(milligrams)
Weight
(grams)
Fat
(grams)
Saturated Fat
(grams)
1/2 melon 95 22 2 0 267 1 0.1
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categories related to 'cantaloupe'

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Random House Word Menu by Stephen Glazier
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Cantaloupe
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
(unranked): Angiosperms
(unranked): Eudicots
(unranked): Rosids
Order: Cucurbitales
Family: Cucurbitaceae
Genus: Cucumis
Species: C. melo
Subspecies: C. melo subsp. melo
Variety: C. melo var. cantalupensis
Trinomial name
Cucumis melo var. cantalupensis[1]
Naudin
Synonyms

Cucumis melo var. reticulatus Naudin[1]

Cantaloupe (also cantaloup, mushmelon, muskmelon, rockmelon or spanspek) refers to a variety of Cucumis melo, a species in the family Cucurbitaceae which includes nearly all melons and squashes. Cantaloupes range in size from 0.5 to 5.0 kilograms (1.1 to 11 lb). Originally, cantaloupe referred only to the non-netted orange-fleshed melons of Europe. However, in more recent usage, it has come to mean any orange-fleshed melon (C. melo).

Cantaloupes have been linked to listeriosis illness caused by Listeria bacteria[2] that contaminated the fruit while they were being stored and sorted in cold conditions after harvest.[3] The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is investigating the link between cantaloupe Listeria contamination and human sewage sludge that may have become airborne from a nearby farm.[4]

Contents

Etymology

The name is derived, via French, from the Italian Cantalupo which was formerly a papal country seat near Rome. Tradition has it, that this is where it was first cultivated in Europe, on its introduction from Ancient Armenia.[5] Its first known usage in English dates from 1739 in The Gardeners Dictionary Vol. II by Scottish botanist Philip Miller (1691–1771).[5]

Cantaloupes by region

The European cantaloupe is lightly ribbed, with a gray-green skin that looks quite different from that of the North American cantaloupe.

Macro photo of the skin of a North American cantaloupe.

The North American cantaloupe, common in the United States, Mexico, and in some parts of Canada, has a net-like (or reticulated) skin covering. 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.[citation needed]

Cantaloupe or rockmelon from Australia and its cross section
Rockmelons on display in a fruit store

Origin

The cantaloupe originated in India and Africa;[6] and was first cultivated by the Egyptians, followed by the Greeks and Romans.[7]

Production and uses

Cantaloupes on sale in Japan for 2800 yen each (Roughly 33.28 USD - based on currency rates September 2010)

Because they are descended from tropical plants, and tend to require warm temperatures throughout a relatively long growing period, cantaloupes grown in temperate climates are frequently started indoors, and grown indoors for 14 days or longer, before being transplanted outdoors.

Cantaloupes are often picked, and shipped, before fully ripening. Postharvest practices include treatment with a sodium hypochlorite wash to prevent mold growth and Salmonella growth. This treatment, because it can mask the melon's musky aroma, can make it difficult for the purchaser to judge the relative quality of different cantaloupes.

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 antipasto.

Because the surface of a cantaloupe can contain harmful bacteria—in particular, Salmonella [8]—it is always a good idea to wash a melon thoroughly before cutting and consumption. Only store the fruit for less than three days after cutting 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.[9]

Nutrition

Cantaloupe melon
Nutritional value per 100 g (3.5 oz)
Energy 141 kJ (34 kcal)
Carbohydrates 8.16 g
- Sugars 7.86 g
- Dietary fiber 0.9 g
Fat 0.19 g
Protein 1.84 g
Water 90.15 g
Alcohol 0 mg
Caffeine 0 mg
Vitamin A equiv. 169 μg (21%)
- beta-carotene 2020 μg (19%)
Thiamine (vit. B1) 0.041 mg (4%)
Riboflavin (vit. B2) 0.019 mg (2%)
Niacin (vit. B3) 0.734 mg (5%)
Pantothenic acid (B5) 0.105 mg (2%)
Vitamin B6 0.072 mg (6%)
Folate (vit. B9) 21 μg (5%)
Vitamin B12 0.00 μg (0%)
Vitamin C 36.7 mg (44%)
Vitamin E 0.05 mg (0%)
Vitamin K 2.5 μg (2%)
Calcium 9 mg (1%)
Iron 0.21 mg (2%)
Magnesium 12 mg (3%)
Phosphorus 15 mg (2%)
Zinc 0.18 mg (2%)
Percentages are relative to
US recommendations for adults.
Source: USDA Nutrient Database

Cantaloupes also are an excellent source of vitamin C.

Footnotes

See also

References

External links


Translations:

Cantaloupe

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Dansk (Danish)
n. - kantalupmelon

Nederlands (Dutch)
kanteloep, honkbal

Français (French)
n. - cantaloup

Deutsch (German)
n. - (bot.) Warzenmelone

Ελληνική (Greek)
n. - (φυτολ.) είδος πεπονιού, μηλοπέπονο

Italiano (Italian)
cantalupo (tipo di melone giallo)

Português (Portuguese)
n. - cantalupo (m) (Bot.)

Русский (Russian)
мускусная дыня

Español (Spanish)
n. - tipo de melón

Svenska (Swedish)
n. - cantaloupmelon

中文(简体)(Chinese (Simplified))
香瓜, 哈蜜瓜

中文(繁體)(Chinese (Traditional))
n. - 香瓜, 哈蜜瓜

한국어 (Korean)
n. - 멜론의 일종

日本語 (Japanese)
n. - マスクメロン, カンタロープ

العربيه (Arabic)
‏(الاسم) شمام, بطيخ‏

עברית (Hebrew)
n. - ‮סוג של מלון קטן (פרי), סוג מלון‬


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