Is overnight watermelon really "toxic"?

The weather is getting hot, and the watermelon, which quenches the heat and quenches thirst, begins to enter the homes of ordinary people

Ruan Guangfeng, director of the Science and Technology Communication Department and associate research librarian of the Kexin Food and Health Information Exchange Center, said in an interview with a reporter from China Consumer News that whether or not watermelons can be eaten overnight mainly depends on whether the watermelons are stored and handled in a hygienic manner.

The "popular science" of "do not eat watermelon overnight" on the Internet often cites some cases reported by the media as evidence

Ruan Guangfeng explained that septic shock is one of the most serious conditions in the human body after infection.

However, there is no necessary link between septic shock and overnight watermelon

But if there are bacteria in the environment that can cause septic shock, that's another story

In summer, the temperature is high, and bacteria are easy to multiply

Therefore, "overnight" watermelon is not necessarily "toxic".

Expert advice

How to eat melon with confidence

In the hot weather, eating a bite of crunchy, sweet and juicy watermelon is a favorite way for many people to relieve the heat

Tip 1: Don't save the melon you don't know when to cut it until the next day

Tip 2: Generally speaking, the smaller the watermelon is cut, the greater the contact surface with bacteria, and the more chance of being contaminated by knives and chopping boards

Tip 3: After cutting a watermelon, you can save the part that will be eaten immediately, and immediately cover the remaining part with a clean plastic wrap and put it in the refrigerator

Tip 4: Since the rind of the watermelon is also polluted, wash the rind as a whole before cutting it; it is best to use the knife and chopping board specially designed for cutting fruit directly, and never mix it with the chopping board and kitchen knife for cutting raw meat

Tip 5: You must separate raw and cooked watermelons for storage in the refrigerator.

A refrigerator is not a safe

Tip 6: Watermelons that are cold in the refrigerator, even if the microorganisms do not exceed the standard, have certain cold stimulation to the stomach