CHANGES ASSOCIATED WITH RIPENING
As mangos ripen, the following compositional and physiological changes occur:
1. Skin color changes from green to yellow (in some cultivars).
2. Flesh color changes from greenish white to yellow to orange (in all cultivars).
3. Carotenoids (yellow and orange colors) increase and chlorophyll content (green color) decreases, which is related to the skin and flesh color changes noted above.
4. Flesh firmness decreases and juiciness increases.
5. Starch is converted into sugars, which leads to increased sweetness.
6. Titratable acidity and associated sourness or tartness decrease.
7. Total soluble solids (TSS) content (combination of sugars, acids, soluble pectins, and other soluble constituents) and associated sweetness increase.
8. Characteristic aroma volatiles increase.
9. Carbon dioxide production rate increases 4-fold from around 40–50 to around 160–200 mg/kg·hr at 20°C (68°F).
10. Ethylene production rate increases 10-fold from around 0.2–0.4 to around 2–4 ml/kg·hr at 20°C (68°F).