Watermelons are among the most tempting of fruits to eat and drink, particularly in the height of the summer. However, sometimes they don’t look quite so enticing. Here at C & M Watermelon Imports Ltd, a leading watermelon importer in London, look at the phenomenon of hollow heart watermelons – what they look like, what causes it, and if the fruit is still safe to eat.
What Does a Hollow Heart Watermelon Look Like?
If you crack into your watermelon and find it has gaps inside, then it usually has what is known as a hollow heart. With minor cases, this will be shown by cracks in the fruit; more advanced cases will see the fleshy part separate into different triangles. Researchers believe the condition is more likely to occur with seedless varieties, or if your watermelon has yellow or orange flesh.
The Appliance of Science – What Causes It?
Hollow heart is caused by inadequate pollination, according to researchers at the University of Delaware. This means not enough pollen is provided by bees, wasps and other nectar-seeking insects, who hop from plant to plant transferring the nectar. This can be caused by fluctuations in temperature, particularly during the critical pollination period; insects are less likely to be active in colder or wetter temperatures.
With seedless varieties, many plants don’t contain enough pollinating vines that effectively fertilise the flowers at the same time as the fruiting plants, and a lack of viable pollen is the result.
Does it Make a Difference?
As hollow heart isn’t a disease, but a problem in the pollinating process, if your watermelon is affected by the issue then it should still be safe to eat, according to the experts. In fact, they may taste even sweeter than an unblemished fruit because its natural sugars are concentrated along the cracks in the flesh.
C & M Watermelon Imports Ltd – A Leading Watermelon Importer Based in London
C & M Watermelon Imports Ltd have a reputation for only importing the highest quality fruit, including Samanta, Galaxy, Crimson, Dumara and seedless varieties – for a full list follow this link. Our fruit has the Sweet Aliki logo, so you can be sure it’s been personally checked by us. We import long and round watermelons, starting at 5kg and going up to 30kg.
We deliver to everywhere inside the M25, and we can also arrange transportation and shipping to all parts of the UK and Ireland – including Belfast and Dublin as well as Glasgow, Edinburgh, Manchester, Liverpool, Birmingham, Bristol and Leeds. If you would like to know any more about our services, call us on either 020 8345 5555, 020 8884 4678 or 07855 796 776; you can also email us at [email protected].