Why Does Hami Melon Taste Bitter? Causes Explained

Hami melon is a variety of muskmelon, an annual creeping or climbing herbaceous plant of the genus Cucumis in the gourd family. It is called Hami melon because the kind produced in Hami is the most famous, and it has long enjoyed the reputation of “king of melons.” It has a high sugar content and a unique flavor; some have a creamy taste, some a lemon fragrance, but all are sweet as honey and strikingly aromatic. Let's take a look below at what is going on with bitter Hami melon!

Why does Hami melon taste bitter?

Like other melons, Hami melon can produce some special bitter-tasting fruit, especially near the stem end, and it may also be that the Hami melon is not fully ripe or has been artificially ripened. Generally speaking, the process of melons of all kinds "setting fruit" can be divided into two types: natural pollination and human intervention. However, when abnormal environmental conditions occur, artificial intervention in fruits and vegetables is needed, such as using certain plant hormones to make them ripen quickly. If artificial intervention is not carried out with scientific use of chemicals, a situation can arise in which the outside looks ripe but the inside is not. Melons that have been "forced to ripen" do not accumulate enough sugar, resulting in flesh with a slight bitterness.

When do Hami melons ripen?

In a natural environment, the normal ripening season for Hami melons is July to September, but through modern cultivation techniques that control the growth cycle of Hami melons, they can reach the market as early as around May and can ripen as late as after October. At the same time, according to ripening period, Hami melons are divided into early-ripening melons, summer melons (mid-season), and winter melons (late-ripening), among other variety groups. Different varieties of melon also differ in shape, color, and skin pattern. Common ones include Red Heart Crisp, Black Eyebrow Honey Extremely Sweet, Fort Red, Iron Skin, Green Hemp Skin, Netted Fragrant Pear, Hami Jiageda, Small Green Skin, White Skin, and others.

How do you choose a good Hami melon?

1. Place of origin: The place of origin of a Hami melon directly affects the melon's quality and taste. Be sure to choose Hami melons produced in Xinjiang, especially those from Shanshan County and Hami City; melons from other areas such as Kashgar and Jiashi are also very good.

2. Melon skin: The rind of a Hami melon is striped. When choosing, mainly look for whether there are insect holes, cracks, and so on. The more patterns and the uglier it is, the tastier it is, while those with good appearance, prettiness, and no scars are often raw.

3. Color: Hami melons can be bright yellow or deep yellow. The deep-colored ones feel as though they have had more sunlight and will be sweeter. You can choose the deep yellow ones, because relatively speaking they are a little sweeter than the light-colored ones.

4. Fruit stalk: When a netted Hami melon is ripe, the fruit stalk at the rear end of the melon is slightly sunken, smooth, and densely covered with netting. When a Hami melon with no netting or half netting is ripe, the fruit stalk at the rear end becomes brightly colored, with obvious mottling, all fuzz shed, a tough surface, and a smooth feel.

5. Fragrance: A melon with moderate ripeness has a rich fragrance detectable outside the rind. Those with no fragrance or faint fragrance are less ripe. Depending on need, you can choose a less ripe one; after taking it home and putting it in the refrigerator for one or two days, once ripe, the aroma will be rich.

6. Firmness: When choosing a Hami melon, you can feel it with your hand and press the melon body. A melon with good ripeness is firm yet slightly soft; one that is too hard is unripe, and one that is too soft is overripe.

7. Weight: If a Hami melon is too heavy, it is very likely raw; if too light, it lacks moisture. When choosing, you can weigh it in your hand; a slightly heavier Hami melon will generally be very sweet.

8. Tail end: If you want to know whether a Hami melon is fresh or not, you only need to look at the tail end of the Hami melon, the side with the vine. If the vine is still green, then it was picked not long ago. If the color is too green, it is fairly likely to be raw.

9. Shape: Hami melons come in many shapes, commonly long ones and also very round ones. Generally speaking, the long ones are more juicy, while the round ones are relatively sweeter.