Watermelons in Nizhny Novgorod: how to buy them and avoid poisoning

      August 3rd is International Watermelon Day. Watermelons are sold in Nizhny Novgorod year-round. However, they are imported in winter from abroad, while domestic fruits appear only in season. On the markets, you can sometimes find products from Dagestan, although most supplies come from Iran, Turkey, and Uzbekistan. The editorial office of IA "V Gorode N" gathered all the necessary information about watermelons and spoke with an expert.

      How to choose a sweet watermelon

       Simple recommendations for choosing a watermelon can be found on the Rospotrebnadzor website. A ripe berry has a solid rind, with bright green and white stripes; the spot on the side where the fruit ripened should be yellow or even orange; and the stem and tail should be dry. It’s best to prefer medium-sized fruits weighing from 5 to 8 kg. Larger fruits (around 15 kg) can be watery, while smaller ones (2–3 kg) may be underripe.

      Sound check can also be informative. When tapped with the palm, a ripe watermelon should vibrate, and gentle tapping with bent fingers should produce a moderately ringing sound. If pressed slightly along the longitudinal axis, a faint crunch may be heard.

      Where is it better to buy a watermelon

       When buying melons, sellers should have documentation confirming the quality and safety of the product. If the seller cannot clearly answer even a simple question about the origin of the watermelons, it’s better to avoid the purchase, as the lack of information may indicate that laboratory tests have not been conducted, and what lies under the rind is known only to the farmer.

      It’s also advisable to avoid unauthorized street vendors and steer clear of stalls along the roads. Watermelons can absorb heavy metals present in automobile exhaust gases, which can be harmful to health.

      Pre-cut fruits on counters also pose a risk, as it’s unknown with what knife they were cut or when they were washed. The storage history of such halves is also difficult to establish. Bacteria quickly begin multiplying on the pulp and can produce toxins within hours, leading to gastrointestinal disorders.

      How to properly store a watermelon

       At home, you should thoroughly wash the watermelon, preferably with soap, to remove microorganisms from the rind. Cut fruits should never be kept at room temperature — they should only be stored in the refrigerator. Olga Kharlamova, PhD in Medical Sciences and associate professor at the Department of Emergency Medical Care at PIMU, told IA "V Gorode N" that the product is safe to eat for no more than 24 hours. If a sour smell appears, it’s time to discard it. It’s not worth saving or finishing pieces — health is more important. However, a watermelon can be dangerous even before the characteristic odor indicates spoilage.

      Watermelon poisoning in the Nizhny Novgorod region

       In early August 2022, Nizhny Novgorod resident Arina Z. purchased a watermelon at a sales point in a new microdistrict of the Sovetsky district, near the end station of public transport. Later, the entire family was hospitalized in Hospital No. 23. Details of this story were reported by "MK." At the same time, Arina was not the only one to fall ill with poisoning after eating watermelon at the ambulance station on Autozavod.

      Everyone lay there with salmonella or staphylococcus infections. It’s just terrible. The younger child managed differently — with a temperature of 40.2°C and severe pain and spasms in the abdomen, vomiting. "Hell," — the publication quotes the patient.

      This year, residents of Nizhny Novgorod also began complaining about watermelons. On the website of the Rospotrebnadzor Department for the Nizhny Novgorod Region, an appeal from Vyacheslav B. dated July 9, 2025, is publicly available. He wrote that the day before, he bought a watermelon at a store on Dolshevskaya Street.

      That evening, half of the watermelon was consumed by him, his wife, and his child ate less. On the morning of July 9, 2025, he experienced persistent vomiting with bile and diarrhea. He called an ambulance. The diagnosis was poisoning with an unknown bacteria. He's taking tablets. He asks to draw attention to the poisoning incident — the resident reports.

      He even offered to provide the other half of the fruit for examination, but the agency's response was:

      "Hello, Dear Vyacheslav! We inform you that this resource has informational and consulting purposes, and therefore inquiries received by GIRS ZPP cannot serve as a basis for conducting control and oversight activities or taking measures."

      The resident was advised to visit the agency personally with his passport or contact its territorial offices or send a message on the agency’s website after authorizing through ESIA, attaching the necessary documents. No inspections of the store in Kanavina took place after this, and what is being sold there now is unknown.

      Recall that in 2021, a fatal case of watermelon poisoning occurred in Moscow. On September 9, a mother, grandmother, and a 15-year-old girl were hospitalized in a city hospital. The grandmother and girl died, while the 38-year-old woman narrowly survived.

      Experts concluded that death resulted from poisoning with a destructive toxin mainly affecting the liver and kidneys. A family had tried the watermelon purchased in a chain store on the first floor of their building. Later, Rospotrebnadzor reported detecting traces of the insecticide "Cygrtrin" in those watermelons.

      Different versions of what happened circulated. One suggested that the poisoning was caused by rat treatment carried out at the supermarket, which contaminated the product and caused poisoning in consumers. As a result, in August 2023, a disinsecticidal service worker was sentenced to five years in prison for providing unsafe services.

      How are watermelons dangerous

      In any case, watermelons can hide dangers under their rind. If rodent poison is rare, nitrates in the fruits are quite common, differing only in amount.

      In 2021, the Nizhny Novgorod Referent Center identified an excess of permissible nitrate levels in a sample of fresh watermelon from the region. The product was sent for chemical-toxicological testing.

      Laboratory experts explained that nitrates can accumulate in melon crops due to the use of nitrogen fertilizers to accelerate growth. Nitrates themselves are relatively low in toxicity but can convert into more dangerous nitrites, both in the fruit and within the human gastrointestinal tract. Nitrites prevent cells from using oxygen, leading to oxygen deficiency and poisoning. The process takes 4–6 hours.

      How to recognize a nitrate-laden watermelon

       According to the Technical Regulations, the permissible nitrate level in watermelon is 60 mg/kg; anything above threatens health and life. Of course, it’s impossible to take every fruit to a lab, but the same Referent Center noted that signs of contaminated produce include a yellow rind, visible holes, or large cavities inside.

      Another tip from RN "News" in 2021 came from nutritionist Nina Kozlova:

      "Toxicity of the berry can be checked by dropping a piece of pulp into a glass of cold water. If the liquid colors, there are nitrates in the watermelon."

      She added that a fatal outcome from watermelons is unlikely, but nitrate or bacterial poisoning is quite possible. In the first case, this occurs when eating early harvest fruits, and in the second — if the rind is damaged and harmful bacteria invade the pulp, or if the cut fruit has been stored for some time.

      Symptoms of watermelon poisoning

       Olga Kharlamova, associate professor at PIMU, told IA "V Gorode N" that nitrate poisoning has characteristic symptoms. It may begin with nausea, vomiting, weakness, sometimes diarrhea, but quickly progresses to hypoxia: shortness of breath (feeling of air shortage, rapid breathing), dizziness, skin color changes from acrocyanosis (blue lips, fingertips, and nails) to pronounced cyanosis (deep blue skin and mucous membranes), rapid heartbeat (tachycardia), consciousness depression up to coma in severe cases, and convulsions.

      In children, even mild poisoning can cause drowsiness, a sharp loss of appetite, or refusal to eat altogether.

      Hypoxia caused by nitrates in the body is linked to the formation of methemoglobin, an abnormal form of hemoglobin unable to carry oxygen. Severe intoxication can lead to death. Nitrate poisoning can occur, for example, from accidental ingestion of nitrate fertilizers added to boost watermelon growth, though such cases are very rare.

      Regarding watermelons, according to our colleagues at N. V. Sklypotosov Research Institute of Emergency Pediatrics, there have been no recorded cases of nitrate poisoning linked to watermelon consumption in recent years, — Olga Kharlamova noted.

      She clarified that actual poisoning cases described as "watermelon poisoning" in reports often showed symptoms like gastrointestinal syndrome (nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain) and general weakness, drowsiness, dizziness, which were mostly related to dehydration or imbalances in acid-base status. The cause of poisoning in these cases is food poisoning. The doctor emphasized again that cut watermelon and pulp are ideal environments for many bacteria: E. coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella, etc. Microorganisms multiply especially quickly in hot weather.

      It is important to note that taste, smell, and appearance of the product do not change immediately. Visually, a watermelon might seem suitable for eating. If pathogenic microorganisms have already contaminated it, subsequent cooling and proper storage will not fix the situation. When ingested, bacteria and their toxins cause poisoning, — the expert concludes.

      First aid for watermelon poisoning

       When the first signs of intoxication appear: nausea, repeated vomiting, weakness, diarrhea, and abdominal pain — the main rule is: SEEK MEDICAL HELP IMMEDIATELY, especially if a child or elderly person is affected. Conduct diagnostics, identify the cause of poisoning, and prescribe proper treatment are tasks for specialists! — Olga Kharlamova stressed.

      She explained that initial aid for food poisoning aims to maximize the removal of toxins from the body and prevent dehydration. This involves stomach washing (drinking about two glasses of room temperature water and inducing vomiting), preferably until the water is clear. After that, sorbents can be given. These procedures should not be performed if the patient is drowsy, lethargic, or unable to follow instructions.

      Do not self-prescribe anti-diarrheal medications. It’s important to remember that diarrhea can be a protective response: the body tries to eliminate toxins, — the specialist said.

      Regarding dehydration, the expert recommended drinking small sips of about a glass of warm carbonated water after each vomiting or diarrhea episode.

      Even if you are able to provide proper first aid to yourself or loved ones, do not delay consulting a doctor! — Olga Kharlamova summarized.