## 2 Results
### VOCs with Antimicrobial Properties in Selected Lines  
The use of VOCs to extend the shelf life of food products has received substantial attention in recent years as an alternative to chemical preservatives [64; 65]. One of the major objectives of our project was to enable the production of safer melons along with enhanced fruit and nutritional quality, flavor, and stress resistance. Several melon lines produced using genomics-assisted breeding were screened for the aforementioned attributes, including the 28 breeding lines reported in this study. Of note, our ongoing study indicates some of these lines have high levels of antimicrobials such as D-limonene, nonanoic acid, benzaldehyde, geranylacetone, and \(\alpha\)-terpineol, which may reduce the overall persistence of foodborne pathogens such as \(L\). _monocytogenes_ and _Salmonella_. In addition, many of the lines in this study produce fruit with smooth netted surfaces. As observed in our previous study [66], lightly netted rind surfaces have lower levels of microbial attachment. As also observed by [PERSON] [67], _Salmonella_ showed a high attachment strength on densely netted cantaloupe rinds, followed by medium-netted and lightly netted rinds. Other factors such as attachment, transfer rates, dust, and contamination routes from contact surfaces also affect bacterial levels and susceptibility to the antimicrobials present on the rind surface [68]. Therefore, the VOCs identified in our melon breeding lines will be studied as potential biomarkers for their association with bacteria levels to improve food safety. The VOCs identified in specific lines and their antimicrobial efficacy are briefly discussed below. BL-30 had a high average level of VOCs such as geranylacetone and 3-phenylpropanol, which contribute to the flavor and aromatic properties of various fruits [41]. Geranylacetone was also isolated from the horsetail _Equisetum arreuse_ L. and its essential oil form inhibited _Salmonella_[69]. Analogs of geranylacetone were tested for antimicrobial activities against _Staphylococcus aureus_, _Enterococcus_, _E. coli_, and _Klebsiella_ spp. [70; 71]. BL-30 had a high content of \(\alpha\)-terpineol, which is usually found in citrus, tea free, beer, and coffee, and is known for its antimicrobial properties against _E. coli_[72], _L. monocytogenes_, _Staphylococcus aureus_, and _Bacillus cereus_[64; 73]. BL-20 had the highest number of total volatiles along with a high benzaldehyde content (1628.10 \(\upmu\)g/kg FW). Benzaldehyde exhibits a strong antimicrobial effect against _L. monocytogenes_ under anaerobic conditions [74]. The highest antimicrobial activity of benzaldehyde with surface sulfhydryl groups was on _Salmonella_ followed by _Listeria_ and _Lactobacillus_[75]. Benzaldehyde in the form of essential oil at 8-10 \(\upmu\)L/mL, and as a polymer, inhibited foodborne pathogens in different fruit juices and broth [76; 77]. BL-20 also had the highest contents of linalool (4.66 \(\upmu\)g/kg FW), a compound known for its antimicrobial effect against _Salmonella_ spp., _L. monocytogenes_, _E. coli_ and _S. aureus_[78; 79]. Nonanoic acid was the highest in BL-20 (349.88 \(\upmu\)g/kg FW). Nonanoic acid is well known in the food industry for its antimicrobial and antifungal properties. It is used as a textile coating and inhibits the growth _of E. coli_ and _S. aureus_[80]. Nonanoic acid, in an emulsion form, also proved to be more effective than traditional sanitizers against _Salmonella_ growth on tomatoes during post-harvest storage [81]. BL-7 had high sucrose and total sugar contents, and had the highest contents of eucalypt (34.49 \(\upmu\)g/kg FW), which is known for its antimicrobial effect against _E. coli_ and _S. aureus_[82]. BL-4 had high sucrose contents and was rich in \(\upbeta\)-ionone, \(\alpha\)-terpineol, geranylacetone, benzaldehyde, and D-limonene.