ARS | Publication request: EFFECT OF DIFFERENT COATING TREATMENTS ON THE QUALITY OF MANGO FRUIT

Submitted to: Journal of Food Quality
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: September 27, 2001
Publication Date: December 1, 2002
Citation: HOA, T.T., DUCAMP, M., LEBRUN, M., BALDWIN, E.A. EFFECT OF DIFFERENT COATING TREATMENTS ON THE QUALITY OF MANGO FRUIT. JOURNAL OF FOOD QUALITY. 2002. v. 25. p. 471-486.

Interpretive Summary: Mango fruit are grown in tropical regions of the world and are popular for their flavor and nutrition. For this reason these fruit are shipped to the U.S., Canada, and Europe by air which is necessary because these fruit ripen so rapidly. Edible coatings are a cheap technology that can slow down the ripening of fruit like mango that would allow for shipment by sea, ,which is much less expensive that shipment by air. Several coating types were tested on mango fruit for their effect on ripening and flavor during simulated shipping and marketing conditions. Several of these coatings delayed fruit ripening by several days without affecting flavor.

Technical Abstract: The effect of eight coatings on the shelf life of mangoes (cvs. Kent, Tommy Atkins, and Early Gold harvested at different maturity stages) was studied under various conditions of storage including ambient (19-22C and 56-60% RH) and simulated commercial (12C and 80% RH) storage. Coating formulations contained carnauba, shellac, zein, or cellulose derivatives. All coatings reduced the respiratory rate, the development of external and internal color, and all but carnauba wax retarded the loss of firmness. Changes in solids and acids were also delayed in all coated mangoes. Based on these parameters, fruit maturation was delayed by a few days compared to uncoated fruit. Shellac and cellulose-based coatings, however, caused elevated levels of ethanol, although this did not lead to significant flavor differences from control (uncoated fruit) in sensory tests. Only the carnauba wax coating was an effective water loss barrier under conditions of high RH.