My problem with pre-cut fruits

I was engrossed in designing an e-flyer for one of our school's affiliates when I received a call from my wife. Normally, I would have ignored the call because I prefer not to be interrupted when I'm in my creative mode. However, I decided to answer this call because she wasn't feeling well when I left home in the morning. I assumed she might want me to bring something for her on my way back home.

My assumption turned out to be accurate.

She requested that I bring her some fruit as she had lost her appetite for regular meals. Her recent condition and attitude resemble those of someone in her first trimester. I'm secretly hoping that's not the case, given that the Nigerian economy is currently in a state of chaos.

Anyway, I left the office a few minutes later and went directly to the fruit vendor located just a short distance away. I purchased bananas and cucumbers and was about to take a bus home when I spotted watermelon. Observing the various sizes of the watermelons, I realized that getting a whole fruit might result in wastage, as we have a history of not finishing large watermelon fruits in a single serving.

Furthermore, once watermelons are cut, they have a short shelf life, even if they are cryopreserved.

I asked the vendor if he would sell me half of a watermelon, and he agreed. He took out his knife and carefully divided the fruit into two parts, resulting in two uneven halves. I took the larger portion and paid him accordingly, although I had some concerns while he was cutting the fruit.

• What if the knife he's using isn't clean?
• What if his hands aren't clean?
• What if he has cuts or wounds on his hands?

By the end of the day, I realized that buying pre-cut fruits, especially watermelon, isn't a healthy practice. If I had purchased a whole watermelon, I could have thoroughly washed it, even using saltwater to increase the chances of eliminating microbes on the fruit's skin that could act as contaminants for those consuming it.

Washing pre-cut watermelon would compromise its quality, and using saltwater is not a viable option. This is because regular water would penetrate and dilute the natural sugars in the fruit, while saltwater would alter its taste. Therefore, with pre-cut watermelon, it's essential to ensure the initial cutting is done as aseptically as possible, or else you risk consuming a lower-quality product. Eating pre-cut watermelon that hasn't been cut under clean conditions is inviting trouble.

^{The precut watermelon I bought}

My assertion is more than just a hypothesis, as numerous studies have microbiologically analyzed pre-cut fruits, including watermelon. In 2021, AbdulKareem and Odey published a scientific article investigating the microbial contamination of ready-to-eat vended fruits within a market located in Ilorin, Nigeria.

During this research, a total of fifteen samples of vended fruits underwent scrutiny to assess their overall bacterial and fungal content. The findings revealed the existence of five distinct bacterial species (Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella species, Shigella species, Pseudomonas species) as well as a single fungal species (Mucor species) within the examined fruit samples. The measurement of the total aerobic plate count ranged between 1.50 and 25.00 CFU ml-1. Notably, pawpaw exhibited the highest count, while pineapple displayed the lowest.

Based on the outcomes of the study, the researcher ultimately concluded that the presence of these microorganisms in the vended fruits strongly indicates contamination, likely originating from inadequate hygiene practices.

Similarly, a separate study conducted by Mezue and Aghimien in 2017 examined how watermelon samples stored under different conditions - room temperature (22°C) and refrigerator temperature (4°C) - for five days experienced changes in their microbial content. The researchers specifically quantified the counts of bacteria and fungi at both temperature settings.

The results of their investigation unveiled a clear distinction: storing watermelon at refrigerator temperature led to a significant reduction in the overall microbial load compared to storing it at room temperature. The various types of microorganisms identified in the samples included Enterobacter aerogenes, Bacillus subtilis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Lactobacillus fermenti, Staphylococcus aureus, Aspergillus niger, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Fusarium oxysporum, Rhizopus stolonifer, and Mucor species.

Upon examining the distribution of these microbes, it became evident that at room temperature, the most frequently found species were Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus, and Mucor species. Conversely, at refrigerator temperature, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Bacillus subtilis, and Fusarium oxysporum exhibited the highest occurrence rates.

In light of these findings, the key takeaway from the study is that maintaining the appropriate storage temperature and adhering to proper sanitation practices play a pivotal role in extending the shelf life of freshly cut watermelon while also safeguarding its diverse microbial composition. Additionally, the study emphasizes the importance of following correct handling and storage protocols to effectively prevent watermelon contamination and spoilage.

I can actually go on and on about the danger inherent in precut fruits which have been scientifically investigate and found to be true. My take-home is that, buying and consuming precut fruits could actually be one of the 1000 ways to die.

Did we eat the one I bought? Your guess is as good as mine :)