Robotics Team Discovers Sweet Solution to Fresh Fruit

Middle school students of the Half Hollow Hills robotics team are all abuzz. 

The students, who are part of the district's Academically High Aptitude Program (AHAP), have discovered a new, natural preservative to keep strawberries from going bad. The solution? Honey.

“We discovered that honey is an awesome ingredient for an all-natural preservative,” the students wrote in their presentation. “We learned that honey is hydrophobic, which means it repels water. Honey can be turned to powder by taking the water out of it. The powdered honey wants to absorb water. So when applied, if it doesn’t find the moisture in the air, it will draw water out of the strawberry.”

To prevent too much water from being removed and risk shriveling, the students came up with the idea to create a paper liner made from the powdered honey that can be packaged with fruit cartons at grocery stores. Since the powdered honey wouldn’t physically touch the strawberries, the fruit would ripen at a slower pace, but not dry out. This would keep the strawberries from going bad too quickly 

Their idea and research is part of the FIRST^® LEGO^® League Global Innovation Award competition in which students are challenged to develop innovative solutions to real-world problems. This year, kids around the world are competing to solve a food safety problem.

The Half Hollow Hills team took home second place on the robotics portion of the competition this month and will put their powdered honey idea up for the challenge on March 4 to win the opportunity to take their idea to the next level. 

In order to win the competition, all teams are vying to earn the most votes. Online voting will select ten 10 semi-finalist teams. A panel of judges will select an additional 10 semi-finalists based on merit. 

To vote for the “The Awesome AHAPers All Natural Fresh Fruit Preservative,” Click here: http://fllinnovationaward.firstlegoleague.org/awesome-ahapers-all-natural-fresh-fruit-preservative

"I am so proud of these kids. They're amazing to work with," Caryn Meirs, the club advisor said. "The competition is a wonderful tool for 21st Century learning. It's all about problem solving, learning to cooperate with team members and how to communitcate ideas. As a teacher its everything you want your kids to be involved in."

Fans of the project can vote every day until the end of the competition on March 1 at 5 p.m.