Purchase selection

Following these tips will help you pick the best watermelon available.

• Look the watermelon over, choose a firm, symmetrical watermelon that is free of bruises, cuts and dents.
• Lift it up - the watermelon should be heavy for its size. Watermelon is 92% water that accounts for most of its weight.
• Turn it over - on the underside of the watermelon there should be a creamy yellow ground spot where it sat and ripened in the sun. 
• Avoid watermelons that are very hard, white or very pale green in colour on the underside, indicating immaturity. An immature watermelon will be slightly acidic.

Storage

• If an uncut watermelon needs to ripen, store at room temperature.
• Ripe uncut watermelonshould be refrigerated. They will keep longer longer and is more refreshing to eat when chilled.
• Watermelon that has been cut should be wrapped tightly in plastic wrap or placed in an airtight container. This will keep the cut watermelon from absorbing the odours of other foods and prevent it from drying out. Eat as soon as possible!

Display

• Check the temperature to ensure maximum shelf life.
• Store and display whole watermelons at (7°C to 13°C).
• Display cut watermelons in refrigerated cabinets at (3°C to 4°C).
• Display watermelons at a level which is easy to reach for customers, to avoid unnecessary back injuries.
• Watermelon is ethylene sensitive, so product should be stored away from ethylene producing fruit and vegetables such as apples, bananas and pears to avoid unnecessary ripening.