Location: Methods and Application of Food Composition Laboratory
Project Number: 8040-10700-004-031-T
Project Type: Trust Fund Cooperative Agreement
Start Date: Mar 1, 2024
End Date: Apr 30, 2025
Objective:
The purpose of this project is to obtain nutrient data on watermelon rind and flesh for publication in the USDA Foundation Foods Database in FoodData Central (FDC). This proposal is for sample preparation, analysis of vitamin C and moisture at Cooperating lab, and distribution of samples to laboratories for analysis of specified nutrients, provision of all food matrix control materials, and quality control review of analytical data by the Principal Investigator.
Approach:
Watermelon (seedless) will be sampled at 8 time points throughout the year, and the flesh and rind will be separately analyzed for the select nutrients. A “watermelon sample” refers to the total of all individual watermelons procured as a group that are to be prepared and combined into a homogenate that will be analyzed. The exact sampling plan and procurement of samples will be done by USDA and/or the Sponsor and samples will be shipped to Cooperating Lab. The exact sampling plan, documentation associated with sample procurement and meta data on samples is not part of this contract. Cooperating Lab will provide the total weight of rind and flesh needed for preparation of homogenized material for nutrient analyses, and the number of watermelons per sample will depend on the size of the individual melons. The Sponsor will provide the procedure for separating the rind and flesh and for obtaining the edible portion of the rind.
