Watermelon flesh is America’s sixth most consumed fruit owing to its appealing flavor and refreshing properties. The edible rind makes up approximately one third of the total watermelon mass, but is usually not consumed. Disposal of rind as waste damages the environment and causes agricultural mass loss; thus, watermelon rind could be redirected for use in commercial foods, considering its potential. This presentation will show watermelon-rind blend development, their amino acid contents, volatile aroma compounds, and associated consumer attitude. Five watermelon flesh blends with 0%, 10%, 20%, 30%, and 100% w/w rind were formulated. Sixteen free amino acids in the samples were quantified using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Watermelon rind alone contained higher total amino acids (165 mg/100 g fresh weight) compared to flesh (146 mg/100 g). The rind had significantly higher (1.5x) and dominant amounts of citrulline and arginine (61.4 and 53.8 mg/100 g fresh weight, respectively) than flesh alone. The rind, however, contained significantly lower amounts of essential amino acids. Volatile analysis showed that watermelon rind comprised only 15% of the total volatiles (peak area) found in flesh. Of the 126 volatiles identified, the rind alone contained 77 compounds; 56 of these presented in all five samples. Aldehydes and alcohols accounted for &gt; 80% of the total volatile peak area in all samples. Consumers evaluated the liking and intensity levels of overall flavor, sweet, sour, green, watermelon flavor, and refreshing quality along with texture, off flavors, and aftertaste of the samples. Up to 20% rind addition was acceptable. The excessive green notes, off flavors, and undesirable texture of rind decreased hedonic and refreshing ratings of the 20% and 30% rind samples. Manufacturers of fruit-based beverages can apply this research to inform development of watermelon flavored products or products that utilize rind waste.

Use of rind in watermelon juice blends for its amino acid content, volatile aroma compounds, and associated consumer acceptance

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