Those strange gaps and hollow pockets you sometimes find inside a watermelon can look alarming, but they are often caused by a harmless condition known as hollow heart.
It develops while the watermelon is still growing. Rapid growth, fluctuations in temperature, inconsistent watering, or incomplete pollination can cause the flesh to separate or crack as the fruit expands.
The result can look surprisingly dramatic.
Large empty spaces.
Cracks running through the flesh.
Sections that appear slightly separated.
But an unusual appearance does not automatically mean the watermelon has spoiled.
The best way to judge it is by using your senses.
If the watermelon smells fresh, the flesh looks healthy and juicy, and it tastes normal and sweet, the internal cracks themselves are generally not a reason to throw it away. Slightly softer areas around the splits can also occur naturally.
However, there are clear warning signs to watch for.
If the fruit smells sour or fermented, feels unusually slimy, shows visible mold, or has a strange or unpleasant taste, it is safest to discard it.
So the next time you cut open a watermelon and find a surprising pattern of cracks or hollow spaces, don’t panic.
Take a closer look.
Check the smell.
Examine the flesh.
And, if it appears normal, taste a small piece.
Sometimes what looks like a problem is simply the result of how the fruit grew.
A watermelon doesn’t have to look perfect inside to be perfectly good to eat.
