The ANSES alerts on a common but unknown risk: the cut melon, once placed in the refrigerator, should never stay there for more than 48 hours. Beyond that, your health is at stake.
In summer, he sits on all plates. Fresh, juicy, sweet, the melon is the king of summer salads. But this innocent fruit hides a real sanitary trap, once placed in the refrigerator. ANSES has just recalled a rule too often neglected: an started melon should not Never stay more than 48 hours in the fridge. And it is not a simple precaution.
As soon as it is cut, the melon becomes a fertile land for bacteria. Rich in water and sugar, it naturally attracts salmonella, Listeria and other pathogens, especially when temperatures climb. “48 hours maximum in the refrigerator, not one more”, warns the ANSES.
How to keep a safe buttock
When it is whole, the melon can wait a few days at room temperature. But once open, everything changes. It becomes as perishable as a cooked dish. “A cut melon should never stay more than 48 hours in the refrigerator, according to handles”, insistment Modes & Works. The right temperature? 4 ° C. The right location? The vegetable tray.
Here are the right reflexes to adopt according to the relayed recommendations:
- Pack it tightly, in a clean box or under cling film
- Place it away from raw meats or soft cheeses
- Note the cutting date from the opening
- Never trust the smell or appearance of the fruit
© Paul Antonescu/Shutterstock
Melon in the fridge for 48 hours: a risk of intoxication too often ignored
The figures are there to recall the severity of the risk. A study of EFSA and the food surveillance network indicates that 12 % of vegetable food poisoning each summer is caused by poorly preserved fruits. In France, Public health France observed a 22 % increase in gastroenteritis cases linked to these conservation errors between June and September.
Too often, we forget a tupperware containing melon at the bottom of the fridge. “It is better to throw up than to take risks”, affirm Marie France. Even if the fruit still smells good or seems intact, the bacteria may already be there. “Respecting the 48 -hour limit is not an unnecessary precaution, it is an essential health measure.”
