Are there any risks? Here's what happens when you freeze watermelon to TikTok's trend

But will it be so beneficial to health? You know what happens to the watermelon after it freezes? Cooking chefs and food security scientists unravel the mystery to the Martha Stewart blog.

You bought an excessively large watermelon and you won't be home for the next few days? According to these experts, like what you do with bread or meat, you can also do it with watermelon. However, you should take into account that the nutritional composition of this fruit is quite different – “composed of more than 90% water, freezing changes the texture dramatically”, they describe.

While not getting exactly the same texture after thawed, the frozen watermelon remains perfect for smoothies, frozen desserts and refreshing drinks for this time of year, as is the case this trend.

But what happens to watermelon when it's frozen?

“ When water freezes, it becomes solid and expands”, describes Barbara Rich, a chef-instructor at the Institute of Cooking Education.

With watermelon a high water composition and being “a particularly juicy fruit, the crispy texture comes from very fine fibers that give structure to this fruit. When it freezes the watermelon, the juice expands and breaks these fibers.”

Food scientist Abbey Thiel explains that the process occurs at the cellular level: “I like to think of these ice crystals as small, sharp spears that push and damage the watermelon cell structure as they form and grow.”.

From this explanation, the expert points out that the biggest change you will notice is not in taste or nutrition, but in texture. However, it confirms that it totally safe to freeze watermelon.

Nevertheless, note that in nutritional suits nothing is lost! These experts say that the main compounds remain even after freezing.

“Freezing also does a good job in preserving nutrients.” According to Thiel, cold temperatures slow down chemical reactions that gradually break vitamins and antioxidants, so “frozen watermelon can retain even more nutrients than watermelon at room temperature”.

How to freeze watermelon to get the best results?

Before starting the procedure, remember that there are no miracles and therefore to obtain a ripe and fresh watermelon you need to choose one that already meets these conditions.

1 . Wash the watermelon outside before cutting it, otherwise you may be making a big mistake – know here what can happen.

2 . Remove the bark and any seeds.

3 . Cut the pulp into cubes, balls or whatever you prefer.

4 . Organize the watermelon parts in a single layer extended over a baking machine lined with vegetable paper.

5 . Freeze the watermelon until it is solid, then transfer the parts to a bag of your own to freeze or an airtight container.

Other tips you should take into account

“ The secret is to freeze the watermelon as soon as possible and protect it from exposure to air,” Thiel says. If possible, “squeeze as much air as possible from the bags before closing them”

“ A quick freezing helps create smaller ice crystals, which cause less damage to the cellular structure of this fruit ", adds.

After all, the biggest risk is getting hooked on this healthy snack. However, that doesn't mean I have to eat it all at once.