Skip to main content
ARS Home » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #239147
Title: Quality of fresh-cut 'Kent' mango slices prepared from hot-water or non-hot water-treated fruit

Author
item Dea, Sharon
item BRECHT, JEFFREY - University Of Florida
item NUNES, CECILIA - University Of Florida
item Baldwin, Elizabeth - Liz

Submitted to: Postharvest Biology and Technology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/18/2010
Publication Date: 2/25/2010
Citation: Dea, S., Brecht, J.K., Nunes, M.C.N., Baldwin, E.A. 2010. Quality of fresh-cut 'Kent' mango slices prepared from hot water or non-hot water-treated fruit. Postharvest Biology and Technology. 56:171-180.

Interpretive Summary: Mango fruit entering the U.S. must undergo a hot water quarantine treatment for fruit fly. The hot water may affect the appearance, texture and flavor of the fruit. Fresh-cut fruit products are popular with consumers and it is not known how the hot water treatment affects the flavor of either the intact fruit or the subsequent fresh-cut product. This study determined that the hot water treatment did not affect the overall quality of the fresh-cut mango including aroma.

Technical Abstract: This study addressed the effects of hot water (HW) quarantine treatment as mandated by the USDA-APHIS, for all mangoes imported to the United States, on the visual and compositional quality factors, aroma volatile production, respiration rate, and electrolyte leakage of fresh-cut 'Kent' mango slices (Mangifera indica) during subsequent storage at 5°C for 10 days. The experiment was conducted twice during two Florida mango seasons, with fruit from two different sources. Results from the two harvests were significantly different and therefore were analyzed separately. In general, the visual quality, electrolyte leakage, firmness, and aroma volatile production (based on the quantification of 16 aroma volatiles) did not differ between the fresh-cut slices prepared from HW- and non-HW-treated fruit. The fresh-cut slices from non-HW-treated fruit had higher soluble solids content than the HW-treated samples. There were also differences between the treatments for respiration rate, titratable acidity, and pH; but, the results were contradictory between the two harvests. Overall, the results suggest that the HW quarantine treatment applied to whole mangoes does not significantly affect the quality of fresh-cut 'Kent' mango slices stored at 5°C.