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Article: Kicking up nutrients in melons and income in growers' pockets: consumers get a better tasting, sweeter melon, and one that can help boost their intake of beta-carotene and vitamin C.
- Article from:
- Agricultural Research
- Article date:
- August 1, 2005
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2005 U.S. Government Printing Office. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Fruits and vegetables are known for their health-promoting levels of vitamins and minerals. But what if you could improve their phytonutrient content? That's what ARS researchers in Oklahoma and Texas are doing for melons--watermelons, cantaloupes, and honeydews.
The United States is one of the world's leading producers and consumers of melons. Total U.S. per capita consumption has increased by more than 23 percent in the past 15 years to almost 30 pounds per person in 2004. Only bananas, with a 7-percent increase in consumption over this period, can compare with melons.
The three most-consumed melons are watermelon (about 14 pounds per person per year), ...