Home check But laboratory testing is not the only way to determine nitrate levels. To check what the watermelon is pumped with during the growth process and whether it is safe, it is not necessary to have a laboratory. Even at home, you can check a striped berry for nitrates.Excess chemical in this fruit turns into a poisonous substance the moment it enters the body and causes poisoning. The most common symptoms of watermelon poisoning are dizziness, nausea and stomach cramps.