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Fruit Produce Facts English
Honeydew
Recommendations for Maintaining Postharvest Quality
Trevor V. Suslow, Marita Cantwell and Jeffrey Mitchell Department of Plant Sciences, University of California, Davis
Maturity & Quality
IntroductionHoneydew melon belongs to the Cucumis melo L. Inodorus group which includes crenshaw, casaba and other mixed melons. Maturity IndicesHoneydews are harvested by maturity and not by size. Maturity is difficult to judge because no clear abscission (slip, separation) from the vine occurs. Maturity classes are grouped predominantly by changes in 'ground color' from greenish to cream with yellow accents. Commercial Maturity Classes:
Quality Indices
U.S. grades are No. 1, Commercial and No. 2. Distinction among grades is based predominantly on external appearances. Sizing is based on count per 13.6 kg (30 lb.) container, most typically 4 or 5, and occasionally 6 melons per carton. High quality appearance is protected, in part, by packing with a partition to protect melons from bruising, compression and scuffing. Maturity & Quality Photos
Title: Internal Color Photo Credit: Marita Cantwell, UC Davis
Temperature & Controlled Atmosphere
Optimum Temperature7-10°C (45-50°F) Storage life is typically 12-15 days at 7°C (45°F) with up to 21 days attainable. Source authorities vary in the reported optimum storage and shipping temperatures for honeydew melons. Most recommendations use 7°C (45°F) and 85-90% R.H. as the optimum handling conditions. In general, if melons are ripe or pretreated with ethylene at 100 ppm for 24 hr, trade recommendations for short-term storage and shipping are often range from 2.5-5°C (36.5-41°F). Extended holding at these temperatures will induce chilling injury, rapidly evident after transfer to typical retail display temperature. Optimum Relative Humidity85-90%. High relative humidity is essential to prevent desiccation and loss of glossiness. Extended periods of higher humidity or condensation may encourage the growth of surface molds. Rates of Respiration
To calculate heat production multiply ml CO2/kg·hr by 440 to get Btu/ton/ day or by 122 to get kcal/metric ton/day. NRNot recommended due to chilling injury. Rates of Ethylene Production
Responses to EthyleneExposure to 100-150 ppm ethylene for 18-24 hr at 20°C (68°F) has been used to ripen physiologically mature honeydew melons. Immature fruit will not soften and develop characteristic sensory quality even with C2H4 treatment. Ripening with C2H4 is no longer a common practice for the California honeydew industry. Responses to Controlled Atmospheres (CA)Controlled atmosphere storage or shipping offer only moderate benefits for honeydew melons under most conditions. With extended transit times (1-28 days), naturally ripening melons are reported to benefit from delayed ripening, reduced respiration and inhibition of molds and decay. Consensus conditions of 3% O2 and 10% CO2 at 7°C have been demonstrated. Elevated CO2 at 10-20% is tolerated but will cause effervescence in the fruit flesh. This carbonated flavor is lost on transfer to air. Low O2 (<1%) or high CO2 (>20%) will cause impaired ripening, off-flavors and odors, and other defects.
Disorders
Physiological and Physical Disorders Chilling injury. Typically occurs after storage at temperatures <7°C (45°F) for several days. Sensitivity to chilling injury decreases as melon maturity and ripeness increases. Symptoms of chilling injury include pitting, reddish-tan discoloration's, failure to ripen, off-flavors and increased surface decay. Pathological DisordersDisease is generally not an important source of postharvest loss in comparison with physical injury due to bruising and chilling injury. Commonly, decay or surface molds are caused by the fungal pathogens Cladosporium, Geotrichum, Rhizopus, Alternaria, and occasionally Mucor and Fusarium. Special ConsiderationsRapid forced-air cooling soon after harvest is strongly recommended, particularly if harvest pulp temperatures exceed 27°C (80°F). The precooling endpoint will depend on the desired intransit ripening, transit time, and trailer refrigeration capacities. Fresh-cut honeydew melons rapidly absorb odors. The optimum temperature and handling conditions for honeydew melons are essentially applicable to crenshaw and Persian melons. The anticipated keeping period, however, is shorter and generally does not exceed 14 days. Casaba, Juan Canary, and Santa Claus melons retain best quality at the high end of the storage temperature range, 10°C (50°F), for up to 21 days. [For more information, see our publication “Fruit Ripening and Ethylene Management”, available for purchase using our Publication order form.] Disorders Photos
Title: Botryodiplodia Decay on Golden Honeydew Photo Credit: Marita Cantwell, UC Davis 
Title: Brown Blotch Photo Credit: Marita Cantwell, UC Davis 
Title: Chilling Injury Photo Credit: Marita Cantwell, UC Davis 
Title: Epicoccum Decay on Golden Honeydew Photo Credit: Marita Cantwell, UC Davis 
Title: Fusarium Decay on Golden Honeydew Photo Credit: Marita Cantwell, UC Davis 
Title: Penicillium Decay on Golden Honeydew Photo Credit: Marita Cantwell, UC Davis 
Title: Sclerotinia Decay on Golden Honeydew Photo Credit: Marita Cantwell, UC Davis 
Title: Solar Injury - Severe Photo Credit: Marita Cantwell, UC Davis 
Title: Solar Injury - Slight Photo Credit: Marita Cantwell, UC Davis 
Title: Sour Rot - Blossom End Photo Credit: Marita Cantwell, UC Davis 
Title: Sour Rot - Stem End Photo Credit: Marita Cantwell, UC Davis 
Title: Speckles - Moderate Photo Credit: Marita Cantwell, UC Davis 
Title: Speckles -Severe Photo Credit: Marita Cantwell, UC Davis 
Title: Surface Cracking Photo Credit: Marita Cantwell, UC Davis 
Title: Surface Discoloration (1) Photo Credit: Marita Cantwell, UC Davis 
Title: Surface Discoloration (2) Photo Credit: Marita Cantwell, UC Davis 
Title: Surface Discoloration (3) Photo Credit: Marita Cantwell, UC Davis 
Title: Surface Discoloration (4), Possibly Caused by Chilling Injury Photo Credit: Marita Cantwell, UC Davis 
Title: Trichothecium Rot Photo Credit: Don Edwards, UC Davis
Date
February 1997 |
Use of Materials
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Except for these specified uses, no part of the textual materials available on the UC Postharvest Technology Center Web site may be copied, downloaded, stored in a retrieval system, further transmitted or otherwise reproduced, stored, disseminated, transferred or used, in any form or by any means, except as permitted herein or with the University of California's prior written agreement. Request permission from UC Postharvest Technology Center. Distribution for commercial purposes is prohibited.
The information in this fact sheet represents our best understanding of the current state of knowledge at the time of the latest update, and does not represent an exhaustive review of all research results. Links to any of these UC Postharvest Technology Center pages are permitted, but no endorsement of the linking site or products mentioned in the linking page is intended or implied by such a link.
How to Cite
Author(s) names. Initial publication or update date (located at the top). Title. Link to the specific Produce Fact Sheet webpage (Accessed date)
Example: Cantwell, M. and T. Suslow. 2002. Lettuce, Crisphead: Recommendations for Maintaining Postharvest Quality.
http://ucanr.edu/sites/Postharvest_Technology_Center_/Commodity_Resources/Fact_Sheets/Datastores/Vegetables_English/?uid=19&ds=799 (Accessed January 18, 2014).
