Going on sale in the UK, the melon that tastes like a LEMON

The new melon resembles the honeydew variety but has the 'zesty, fresh' taste of a lemon, Tesco said.

The fruit is grown in Spain and is the product of 12 years of trials, the retailer said.

Confusing fruit: It looks like a honeydew melon ... but tastes like a lemon

It has 700/800mg of citric acid per 100g - almost twice that of a standard melon - and a pH level of 4.5 compared with 6.5 for a standard melon.

Tesco melon buyer Paul Cunningham said: 'Melons were for a long time considered a really exotic treat, but the arrival here in recent years of weird and wonderful produce such as dragon fruit, lychees and papaya has made them mainstream to many people.

'Now at last there is a new variety which we think will help excite the market. We believe that they will become the culinary hit of the summer once people have tasted them.

'The lemon melon causes a great reaction when people first try them because the last thing you expect from a smooth-textured melon is a tangy aftertaste.'

He added: 'The lemon melon tastes great chilled as either a starter served with prawns or as a dessert.'

The UK melon market is valued at £125 million a year, according to retail analyst TNS.

The melon goes on sale tomorrow at Tesco stores for £1.99 each.