Food - News
How To Tell If Your Cantaloupe Has Gone Bad
By MELISSA KAGAN
Smelling is one of the best ways to tell if your cantaloupe has gone bad or not, as a perfectly ripe melon will have a sweet and musky aroma, while a bad one will have an unpleasant or a fermented smell. If there’s no smell, then your cantaloupe needs to ripen on the counter for a few days.
Bruising or discoloration on the outside, liquid coming through the rind, as well as dark orange or brown colored flesh, or mold on the inside, all indicate that the melon has gone bad. However, if there’s mold on the outside, you can salvage it by simply cutting off the affected area.
You can also try gently pressing the end opposite of the stem — if it has a slight give, the melon is still good, but if the inside or outside feels mushy, overly soft, or falls apart in your hands, then it's not. Tapping it and listening for a low, solid sound is another way to check if the melon is good.