Skip to main content
ARS Home » Southeast Area » New Orleans, Louisiana » Southern Regional Research Center » Food Processing and Sensory Quality Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #270575
Title: Watermelon, cantaloupe, and honeydew

Author
item PERKINS-VEAZLE, PENELOPE - North Carolina State University
item Beaulieu, John
item SIDDIQ, MUHAMMED - Michigan State University

Submitted to: Subtropical and Tropical Agriculture
Publication Type: Book / Chapter
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/24/2011
Publication Date: 3/12/2012
Citation: Perkins-Veazle, P., Beaulieu, J.C., Siddiq, M. 2012. Watermelon, cantaloupe, and honeydew. Subtropical and Tropical Agriculture. 549-568.

Interpretive Summary: Tropical and sub-tropical fruits have gained significant importance in global commerce. During the period 2000–2004, global production of tropical and subtropical fruits increased by 19.2%, this trend is expected to continue as per FAO projections. Some of the major challenges confronting tropical and subtropical fruit commerce are issues related to post-harvest handling technologies, use of appropriate processing and packaging technologies, food safety and quality assurance. The focus of Chapter 28 is to cover recent developments in the area of fruit technology including: postharvest physiology and storage, novel processing technology applied to fruits, and in-depth coverage on processing, packaging, and nutritional quality of tropical and sub-tropical fruits. In the last 10 years or so, health-beneficial bioactive compound, especially antioxidants, have emerged an important area of research; however, there are no books that cover this important aspect in tropical or sub-tropical fruit. The Chapter will cover relevant novel processing technologies (high-pressure processing, pulse-electric field, membrane separation and ohmic heating), and quality aspects (HACCP, ISO, food safety). With growing consumer interest in the tropical and sub-tropical fruits, the proposed book will be of interest to the many segments of food industry in coming years. Editors believe that this book will be unique in the sense that no other book available in the market covers the breadth and depth of topics proposed herein. Most books have a section or two on tropical or subtropical fruits, which essentially limits their full coverage. About 30 contributors from all over the globe will contribute the well-designed chapters. The contributors have been selected based on the geographical location of the fruit and their outstanding credentials.

Technical Abstract: Tropical and sub-tropical fruits have gained significant importance in global commerce. During the period 2000–2004, global production of tropical and subtropical fruits increased by 19.2%, this trend is expected to continue as per FAO projections. Some of the major challenges confronting tropical and subtropical fruit commerce are issues related to post-harvest handling technologies, use of appropriate processing and packaging technologies, food safety and quality assurance. This Chapter will provide a contemporary handbook that brings together current knowledge and practices in the world-wide value chain of melons (watermelon, cantaloupe, and honeydew). The Chapter within this book will be unique in the sense that it will include coverage on production and post-harvest technologies, innovative processing technologies, fresh-cut, packaging, and quality management. This value-chain approach to the topic coverage is the unique feature of this Chapter and book.