Cantaloupe is a popular fruit in many parts of the world, including Vietnam, thanks to its high water content (88%) and high potassium content (300 mg/100g), providing many health benefits, such as detoxifying the body and reducing bad cholesterol. To produce activated carbon, the group of students used biochar from raw materials, such as wood, rice husks, sawdust and coconut shells, and soaked it in a solution of potassium permanganate (KMnO₄). 

Research results show that with 6g of activated carbon for about 5kg of melon, the preservation time can last up to 2 weeks, while the box without carbon can only preserve for about 10 days before showing signs of damage.

The project "Preserving melons with activated carbon" has won the first prize in the final round of the 2024 Post-harvest Processing Technology Competition, organized by the Youth Science and Technology Development Center in collaborated with Ho Chi Minh City University of Industry and Trade on November 23, 2024 in Ho Chi Minh City.