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Sakata Seed America has introduced what it has called a 'ground-breaking new variety of cantaloupe' that it says offers all of the most desirable melon qualities.

Bred through traditional breeding practices, Sakata says the Infinite Gold LSL (Long Shelf Life) melon offers 'long shelf life, high-yield potential and infinite flavour'.

The melon is said to be highly valued for its holding ability in the field, allowing more flexibility when it comes to harvest, long-distance transportation and prolonged freshness on the retailer’s shelf, in the professional chef’s kitchen and on the consumer’s counter.

“Infinite Gold is the next big thing in cantaloupes, where strong performance meets great fruit quality,” states Gattis Guffey, senior melon product development manager at Sakata. “Over the past ten years, cantaloupes have been limited to one or two of the following attributes - durability, yield or flavour. Infinite Gold delivers all three of these, which means growers and suppliers no longer have to sacrifice one for the other.”

The long shelf life characteristics of Infinite Gold help to provide growers with some flexibility in harvest timing based on weather, market prices or the availability of labour. They can be harvested in as little as two to three trips, as opposed to seven or eight for Western Shipper types. Fewer passes save money on fertiliser, use less water and require fewer people and machines, also reducing the risk of contamination and minimising food safety hazards.

'Typically, developing an LSL melon had to come at the cost of overall flavour, but not anymore,' the group explains.

Infinite Gold is said to offers the rich flavour and deep colouring that consumers love, creating the perfect balance between melony, musky, sweet and floral.

Sakata explains that the flavour of Infinite Gold has ranked higher than the leading competition in flavour, texture, aroma and overall quality in two separate third party research studies.

“What we have done is develop a premium melon that provides benefits at all levels of the supply chain,” adds Guffey. “Not only do growers experience the benefits, but packers, shippers, foodservice distributors, processors, retailers and consumers all reap the rewards. At Sakata, we believe in Infinite Gold and we’re committed to educating all levels of the industry and the consumer about its amazing benefits.'