Mango Ripening
Mangos marketed in the U.S. are usually picked at the
mature-green or breaker stage to withstand the postharvest
handling steps required to bring them from the production
areas to the retail market. These mangos, which sometimes
include fruit picked immature-green, should be ripened at
the wholesale, retail, or consumer level for optimal quality.
Exposure to ethylene gas ensures faster and more uniform
ripening. Providing ready-to-eat mangos to retail markets
increases sales. The quality of mangos when ripe depends
upon maturity at harvest (the more mature, the better the
flavor when ripe), avoiding chilling injury and physical
injuries during postharvest handling, and minimizing
anthracnose incidence. Also, there are major differences in
flavor quality and fiber content among cultivars, including
those marketed in the U.S., such as Ataulfo, Haden, Keitt,
Kent, and Tommy Atkins.
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).