Journal of Biology and Today's World

Melon is a member of the genus Cucumis, sub tribe Cucumerinae, tribe Melothrieae, subfamily Cucurbitoideae, and family Cucurbitaceous. Immature melons are used fresh in salads, cooked—soup, stew, curry, stir-fry—or pickled. Mature fruit is eaten fresh as a dessert fruit or in a canned form or used for syrup or jam; dehydrated slices—lightly processed—for short-term or moderate-term storage can be reconstituted, and the pressed juice may be canned. Melon seeds are a dietary source of unsaturated vegetable oil and protein and may be lightly roasted and eaten like nuts. Melon has a base chromosome number of 12 and is a diploid species, Polysomic cells regularly occur in melon. Seven polyploidy—allopolyploid and autopolyploid—Curcumas species occur but none appears to be closely related to melon. Melons are an important source of phytonutrients. The orange, netted melons (cantaloupes) are among the richest in ascorbic acid and other vitamins and elemental micronutrients). Melons are also pleasant to eat due to their water and sugar content). Due to the worldwide preference for melons, the growing of these commodities may be a long-term guarantee for profitable agriculture However, melons, especially cantaloupes (netted), have become a recurrent source of pathogens causing outbreaks of foodborne disease, especially Salmonella infection. Cantaloupes grow at ground level, thus increasing the potential for fruit surface contamination. Factors such as the potential for pathogens to attach to the porous rind of the melon and internalize and to form biofilms may promote the occurrence of melon-linked outbreaks of foodborne disease. Although the contamination may be restricted to the rind, it can be transferred to the flesh during cutting