If You Ever See Your Watermelon Foaming, Throw It Away Immediately
Summer and watermelon go hand in hand. But do you know what doesn’t?
Foam and watermelon.
Yes, this is a real phenomenon and if you ever happen to see your watermelon foaming, throw it away immediately. DO NOT. I repeat, DO NOT consume it.
Turns out, not only is it not safe to eat, the foam can actually cause your watermelon to explode. YIKES!
People all over the country are reporting this strange occurrence and sharing their foaming watermelons online.
Emily Durbin, a Florida resident, posted about her foaming watermelon this week on a Facebook group “Mommy Needs A Recipe!”
“We bought this watermelon YESTERDAY at Walmart. My husband left for work around 6 am & when I walked in the kitchen around 9 am, this is what I walked into. The white stuff was a foamy bubbly substance. The yellow juice was chunky & thick. The odor was absolutely FOUL. It reminded me of vomit,”
Emily Durbin, Facebook
Lemar Jones also posted a similar experience on Facebook saying:
Bought a watermelon from Walmart and the next day it started foaming from 3 or 4 spots. Smelled bad like chemicals. Looked it up and found videos of people cutting them open and being old/mushy
Lemar Jones
Another woman, LaToya Yvette Ramos-Johnson, posted on Facebook saying:
Before I cut into any fruit or vegetable I wash it. Good thing I did. As soon as I washed it and sat on counter it started foaming. There is a small slit in this watermelon from Walmart. Wash your produce.
LaToya Yvette Ramos-Johnson
Ew, that doesn’t sound appetizing at all!
What does it mean when a watermelon foams?
When a watermelon foams or bubbles, it is generally a sign that the fruit is fermenting.
What causes a watermelon to foam?
According to Keith Schneider, Ph.D, a professor in the Food Science and Human Nutrition Department at the University of Florida, it’s likely due to heat.
He told TODAY.COM:
“This is probably due to the heat. The fruit, if slightly damaged, can begin fermenting. If enough fermentation occurs, which produces gas, enough internal pressure may build up for the watermelon to crack or pop,” Schneider says.
Keith Schneider, Ph.D
He then went onto explain that “excessive summer heat” can wreak havoc on the quality of some produce, calling it an “unexpected consequence of climate change.”
Is it dangerous to eat fermented watermelon?
When fruits are fermented properly (like grapes into wine) it is not dangerous.
However, when a fruit is naturally showing signs of fermentation like foam on a watermelon, it typically means it is harboring harmful microorganisms, such as pathogenic bacteria, that can lead to food borne illnesses.
E. coli, salmonella, botulism, or Listeria can enter the fruit and cause you to get very sick.
Bottom line is – when you see your watermelon foaming, skip eating it. Either toss it in the trash or return it to the place you purchased it. You can even exchange it for a new one.
And as a friendly reminder, always wash your fruit and allow it to sit to ensure it’s not bad like these foaming watermelons.
