By LUCY BALLINGER

Last updated at 00:59 12 May 2007

It's probably fair to say it doesn't have the most exciting taste in the world.

But if you like cucumber and melon - and have £5 to spare - the latest healthy superfruit could be for you.

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The purple-striped 'melumber' - officially known as the pepino - tastes like a cross between a melon and a cucumber.

It has just gone on sale in Britain and claims of its health benefits meant it sold out within hours.

There is a waiting list for the next batch of the South American fruit - a relative of the tomato - at London store Selfridges.

Ewan Venters, of the department store, said: "We initially had a stock of 30 and sold out on the first day.

"We now have a waiting list of customers eager to try this new 'vegefruit'."

Pepinos have a high potassium content, which can help lower blood pressure, and are packed with vitamins A, B and C - all of which protect against cancer and heart disease. They are also ideal for dieters as a 100g serving contains only 23 calories.

The seeded fruit is shaped like a melon and grows to about the size of a goose egg. It can be eaten as a pudding or an appetiser.

When introduced into Japan, the pepino started a craze and its price soon outstripped that of meat.

In the Far East the fruits are often wrapped, boxed and tied with ribbons to be given as gifts.

While common across South America, pepinos have rarely been seen in Europe, although enterprising farmers in France have started growing them.

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Sue Baic, from the British Dietetic Association, said: "Fruits such as pepinos which are high in potassium help lower blood pressure, and are good treatment for high blood pressure.

"Vitamins A, B and C are antioxidants which help protect against cancer and heart disease."

But she expressed concern that the high price tag could convince some customers they could get all their 'five a day' nutrients from just one fruit.

"It seems like this fruit has the same qualities as any fruit and vegetables," she said.

"If you have a range of different fruit and vegetables you are likely to get all these nutrients anyway, although it might be a more concentrated amount in the pepino."

Other superfruits include antioxidant-rich blueberries - which have been praised for their anti-ageing properties - and strawberries, which are thought to help ward off heart disease.