Cantaloupe

The name cantaloupe derived from the French and Italian languages in relation to Cantalupo, the name of a summer estate of the Vatican City, where melons were first grown in the 18th century. The name was first used in English in 1739. ==History==

The cantaloupe may have originated in a region from South Asia to Africa, although its exact origin is unknown. ==Types==

The true or European cantaloupe (Cantalupensis group), which has non- to slightly netted rind and orange flesh, includes the following types: 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. Similar types A melon with netted rind is not necessarily a cantaloupe. Many varieties of Chandalak group and Ameri group also have netted rind. The Japanese muskmelon (subgroup ''Earl's) resembles the American cantaloupe in netted rind, but differs in green flesh and non-dehiscent peduncles. Therefore, some horticulturists classify the Japanese muskmelon under Inodorus group instead of Cantalupensis or Reticulatus group''. ==Production==

In 2023, world production of cantaloupes (and other melons) was 29.5 million tonnes, led by China with 49% of the total (table). ==Uses==

Culinary Cantaloupe is normally eaten as a fresh fruit, as a salad, or as a dessert with ice cream or custard. Melon pieces wrapped in prosciutto are a familiar antipasto. 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—it is recommended that a melon be washed and scrubbed thoroughly before cutting and consumption to prevent risk of Salmonella or other bacterial pathogens. A moldy cantaloupe in a Peoria, Illinois, market in 1943 was found to contain the highest yielding strain of mold for penicillin production, after a worldwide search. Nutrition Raw cantaloupe is 90% water, 8% carbohydrates, 1% protein and contains negligible fat (table). In a reference amount of , raw cantaloupe supplies 34 calories of food energy, and is a rich source (20% or more of the Daily Value, DV) of vitamin A (26% DV) and a moderate source of vitamin C (12% DV) (table), with no other micronutrients in significant amounts (less than 10% DV). == See also ==