MORGAN HILL, CA - Sakata Seed America has unveiled a new variety of cantaloupe that offers durability, yield, and flavor. Bred through traditional breeding practices, the new Infinite Gold LSL (Long Shelf Life) melon offers increased shelf life, high-yield potential, and higher quality flavor.
The melon features good 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,” said Gattis Guffey, Senior Melon Product Development Manager at Sakata. “Over the past 10 years, cantaloupes have been limited to one or two of the following attributes - durability, yield or flavor. 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 were developed to help provide growers with flexibility in harvest timing based on weather, market prices, or the availability of labor. According to a press release, they can be harvested in as little as two to three trips, as opposed to seven or eight for Western Shipper types. Fewer passes is expected to save growers money on fertilizer, water, and require fewer people and machines, also reducing the risk of contamination and minimizing food safety hazards.
Typically, developing an LSL melon comes at the cost of overall flavor, but that was not the case with Sakata. Infinite Gold offers the flavor and deep coloring that consumers love, Sakata says, creating the perfect balance between melony, musky, sweet and floral.
“What we have done is develop a premium melon that provides benefits at all levels of the supply chain,” said 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.
Sakata is inviting PMA Foodservice attendees to come taste the Infinite Gold difference for themselves. The company will serve Infinite Gold Margaritas and appetizers made with the melon during the Networking Lounge and Education Center Happy Hour on Friday, July 24 at 3:00 p.m. in the Monterey Marriott. You can learn more at http://InfiniteCantaloupe.com.
