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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Fort Pierce, Florida » U.S. Horticultural Research Laboratory » Citrus and Other Subtropical Products Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #422969
Research Project: Determination of Flavor and Healthful Benefits of Florida-Grown Fruits and Vegetables and Development of Postharvest Treatments to Optimize Shelf Life an Quality for Their Fresh and Processed Products

Location: Citrus and Other Subtropical Products Research

Title: Modified atmosphere packaging to extend the shelf life of fresh-cut, ripe mango

Author
item BRECHT, JEFFREY - University Of Florida
item ABRAHAN, CAROLINA - University Of Florida
item Plotto, Anne
item BALDWIN, ELIZABETH - Retired ARS Employee
item Bai, Jinhe
item MARIN, ANNA - Universidad De Valencia

Submitted to: Acta horticulturae
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 10/30/2025
Publication Date: 11/30/2025
Citation: Brecht, J., Abrahan, C., Plotto, A., Baldwin, E.A., Bai, J., Marin, A. Modified atmosphere packaging to extend the shelf life of fresh-cut, ripe mango. Acta horticulturae. 1442: 259-262. 2025. https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2025.1442.34.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2025.1442.34

Interpretive Summary: With low O2 and high CO2, modified atmosphere packaging usually slows down respiration processes and associated senescence metabolism in fruit after harvest. Three modified atmospheres were tested for fresh-cut mangoes packed in clamshells with various diameter aperture. The modified atmospheres did not have much effect on storage and fruit quality, except for a slight visual improvement from the 10 mm aperture. This modified atmosphere could be combined with citric acid treatments to preserve visual quality of fresh-cut mangoes.

Technical Abstract: Modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) was tested to extend fresh-cut mango fruit shelf-life. Whole fruit were stored at 10 °C and ripened at 20 °C prior to processing to reach a firmness for processing of about 35N (measured at 2.5-mm deformation using a 5-cm diameter flat plate). Three levels of package permeability were tested with ‘Tommy Atkins’ slices: a 2.5, 5, or 10 mm diameter aperture in a permeable patch-based MAP system (BreathewayTM) with a control treatment without an aperture. Ten fruit slices were placed in 0.473-L containers with or without a membrane fitted with a hole of one of the diameters mentioned. The effect of aperture size was measured as CO2 and O2 concentration in the containers. Color, firmness, SSC, and TA of 10 slices per container as well as sensory quality were evaluated after 7, 10 and 14 days at 5 °C. Package atmospheres (O2+CO2) for 2.5, 5, and 10 mm apertures equilibrated at approximately 8+20, 10+12, and 15+8 kPa, respectively. There was a slight visual benefit of the 10 mm aperture over the control in terms of tissue browning and translucency, but otherwise there was little improvement in the quality or shelf life of mango slices in any of the tested atmospheres. In conclusion, there was no clear benefit of the MAP systems tested for fresh-cut mangoes. However, in associated research, we showed that 0.8% citric acid reduced fresh-cut mango tissue browning and translucency without affecting sensory ratings, which could be combined with MAP.