Fresh-Cut Mango Best Management Practices Manual

Authors: BRECHT,, JEFFREY - University Of Florida; Plotto, Anne; MARÍN-GOZALBO - Universidad De Valencia; GOODRICH, RENEE - University Of Florida

Submitted to: University of Florida Cooperative Extension Service Institute of Food and Agriculture Science
Publication Type: Experiment Station
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/10/2023
Publication Date: 6/5/2023
Citation: Brecht,, J., Plotto, A., Marín-Gozalbo, Goodrich, R. 2023. Fresh-Cut Mango Best Management Practices Manual. University of Florida Cooperative Extension Service Institute of Food and Agriculture Science. HS1443/1-25. https://doi.org/10.32473/edis-HS1443-2023.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.32473/edis-HS1443-2023

Interpretive Summary: A 2017 survey revealed that fresh-cut mangoes on the retail market lacked optimum eating quality mostly because fruit was not fully ripe at the time of cutting, resulting in high acid/crunchy mango slices without characteristic mango flavor. Follow-up research determined optimum ripeness levels to provide good eating quality fresh-cut mango, yet with acceptable shelf-life. This manual provides a description of each step in the process of producing fresh-cut mangoes, from receiving fruit at the processing plant to shipping to the retail market, including sanitation practices.

Technical Abstract: Ensuring that the quality and consistency of the fresh-cut mangoes that are available to consumers in the United States are as good as they can possibly be is an important goal of the National Mango Board (NMB). The NMB-funded projects, “Fresh-cut mangos as a value-added product” and “Overcoming limitations for processing riper mango fruit for fresh-cut mango,” were conducted to identify impediments to successfully meeting that goal. The final deliverable of those projects is this best management practices manual for producing fresh-cut mangoes marketed in the U.S. The manual includes quality-control procedures to use when managing fresh-cut mango commercial operations. Every step in the preparation of fresh-cut mangoes contributes to delivery of good quality and shelf life to customers. Therefore, attention to detail is required at each step, from acquiring and selecting the whole fruit, to processing and distribution of the fresh-cut product. This manual outlines the major steps involved in fresh-cut mango processing and distribution and addresses the common problems and recommended best practices that will ensure delivery of the best possible quality fresh-cut mango products to your customers.