| Cantaloupe | |
|---|---|
 European cantaloupe (true cantaloupe) | |
| Genus | Cucumis |
| Species | C. melo |
| Subspecies | C. melo subsp.melo |
| Cultivar group | Cantalupensis Group (incorporating Reticulatus Group[1]) |
Thecantaloupe (sometimes spelledcantaloup inCanadian English; less commonlycantalope inAmerican English) (/ˈkæn.tə.loʊp/,KAN-tə-lohp or/ˈkæn.tə.luːp/,KAN-tə-loop) is a type oftrue melon (Cucumis melo) with sweet, aromatic, and usually orange flesh. Originally,cantaloup referred to thetrue cantaloupe orEuropean cantaloupe with non- to slightly netted and often ribbed rind. Today, it also refers to themuskmelon with strongly netted rind,[1] which is called cantaloupe in North America (hence the nameAmerican cantaloupe),rockmelon in Australia and New Zealand, andspanspek in Southern Africa. Cantaloupes range in mass from 0.5 to 5 kilograms (1 to 11 lb).
The namecantaloupe derived from theFrench andItalian languages in relation toCantalupo, the name of a summer estate of theVatican near Rome where melons were first grown in the18th century.[2][3] The name was first used in English in 1739.[2]
The cantaloupe may have originated in a region from South Asia to Africa, although its exact origin is unknown.[3] According to one source, "cantaloupes were cultivated in Egypt and migrated across to Iran and Northwest India dating as far back to Biblical times, about 2400 BC."[4]
The true or European cantaloupe (Cantalupensis group), which has non- to slightly netted rind and orange flesh, includes the following types:[1]
The Israeli cantaloupe (subgroupHa'Ogen) is similar to the European one, but it has green flesh.[1]
The muskmelon or American cantaloupe (Cantalupensis group), which has strongly netted rind and orange flesh, includes the following types:[1]
 China | 14.5 |
 Turkey | 1.4 |
 Kazakhstan | 1.4 |
 Guatemala | 0.9 |
 Afghanistan | 0.8 |
 Iran | 0.6 |
 United States | 0.6 |
| World | 29.5 |
| Source:FAOSTAT of theUnited Nations[5] | |
Some sources also include Tuscan melons among American cantaloupes.[6] These Tuscan-type melons have smaller seed cavities like American western varieties but also have ribs like American eastern varieties. Tuscan melons have noticeably different flavor, potentially due to higher production of ester compounds in these varieties.[7]
A melon with netted rind is not necessarily a cantaloupe. Many varieties of Chandalak group and Ameri group also have netted rind.[1]
The Japanese muskmelon (subgroupEarl's) resembles the American cantaloupe in netted rind, but differs in green flesh and non-dehiscentpeduncles. Therefore, some horticulturists classify the Japanese muskmelon underInodorus group instead of Cantalupensis orReticulatus group.[1]
In 2023, world production of cantaloupes (and other melons) was 29.5 milliontonnes, led by China with 49% of the total (table).
| Nutritional value per 100 g (3.5 oz) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Energy | 141 kJ (34 kcal) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
8.16 g | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sugars | 7.86 g | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Dietary fiber | 0.9 g | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
0.18 g | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
0.82 g | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Other constituents | Quantity | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Water | 90 g | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| †Percentages estimated usingUS recommendations for adults,[8] except for potassium, which is estimated based on expert recommendation from theNational Academies.[9] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Cantaloupe is normally eaten as a fresh fruit, as a salad, or as a dessert with ice cream or custard. Melon pieces wrapped inprosciutto are a familiarantipasto. The seeds are edible and may be dried for use as a snack.
Because the surface of a cantaloupe can contain harmful bacteria—in particular,Salmonella[10]—it is recommended that a melon be washed and scrubbed thoroughly before cutting and consumption to prevent risk ofSalmonella or other bacterial pathogens.[11]
A moldy cantaloupe in aPeoria, Illinois, market in 1943 was found to contain the highest yielding strain of mold forpenicillin production, after a worldwide search.[12][13]
Raw cantaloupe is 90% water, 8%carbohydrates, 1%protein and contains negligible fat (table). In a reference amount of 100 grams (3.5 oz), raw cantaloupe supplies 34calories offood energy, and is a rich source (20% or more of theDaily Value, DV) ofvitamin A (26% DV) and a moderate source ofvitamin C (12% DV) (table), with no othermicronutrients in significant amounts (less than 10% DV).
In general, the FDA recommends thoroughly washing and scrubbing the rinds of all cantaloupes and melons prior to cutting and slicing, and to keep sliced melons refrigerated prior to eating.
Then the Peoria researchers made yet another breakthrough. Searching for a superior strain of Penicillium, they found it on a moldy cantaloupe in a Peoria garbage can. When the new strain was made available to drug companies, production skyrocketed.
Media related toCucumis melo cantaloupe group at Wikimedia Commons| Benincasa |
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