Watermelon nutrition profile, antioxidant activity, and processing

The first primitive watermelon domestication has been reported more than 5,000 years ago in Northeast Africa. Watermelon is recognized all over the world as a delicious fruit that quenches the thirst that many people consume in the summer heat. There are about 1,200 varieties of watermelon. Watermelons are loaded with plentiful nutrients, such as vitamin C, pantothenic acid, copper, biotin, vitamin A, and vitamins B6 & B1. Watermelon is processed to manufacture various value-added foods, such as cookies, cakes, juice, jam, cadies, and biscuits. In this review, we discuss pre- and postharvest factors affecting watermelon nutritional concentration and antioxidant profile. Prominent factors comprise genetic and environmental constraints, processing and postharvest storage conditions, chemical treatments, temperature and humidity, packaging, and food processing conditions. This review summarizes the available literature on watermelon processing into different valuable products, pre- and postharvest factors affecting nutritional concentration, and antioxidant activity.

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