Sustainable Production of a Carotenoid-Rich Fruit Spirit from Cantaloupe Waste: Process Optimization, Shelf-Life, and Rural Scalability

Post-harvest rejection of ‘Cruiser’ cantaloupe reaches 15% in arid Mexico, wasting approximately 1.1 m³ virtual water and 0.48 t CO₂-eq per discarded ton. We provide the first open-access protocol for converting this stream into a premium, carotenoid-rich spirit using low-cost, rural-scale equipment. A 5-day, 20 °C maceration at 15% pulp and 20% v/v ethanol retained 68 % β-carotene for more than 12 months without preservatives, achieved consumer liking of 7.8/9, and delivered 1.5-fold higher antioxidant capacity than published mango or passion-fruit liqueurs. Life-cycle impacts were 25% lower than mango spirit; pomace composting improved soil water-holding capacity by 18%. A 100 L d⁻¹ micro-enterprise pays back in 24 months at USD 2.90 L⁻¹ production cost and adds eight-fold value to rejected fruit. The process offers craft distilleries a scalable, circular-economy route to up-cycle melon losses into a clean-label alcoholic beverage.