Biochemical properties of tree ripened and post harvest ripened Mangifera indica (cv. East Indian)

Abstract

Mangifera indica (cv. East Indian) is a premium cultivar in Jamaica and the diaspora, attracting high market value through retail trade. Many Jamaicans prefer to consume tree-ripened East Indian mangoes, citing better taste compared to mangoes ripened during storage. This study was undertaken to evaluate if there was a difference in the biochemical qualities of East Indian mangoes based on whether they were tree ripened or detached from the tree. Quantitative determination of biochemical parameters such as total soluble solids, pH, percent acidity, reducing sugar content, total phenolics, and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical scavenging activity were determined. No significant difference was found in the total soluble solids content of tree-ripened (21.93 ± 2.05) and postharvest-ripened mangoes (21.35 ± 1.86). There were however significant differences in the total reducing sugar (tree ripened, 4.50 ± 0.68 and postharvest ripened, 7.94 ± 0.8), titratable acidity (tree ripened, 0.15 ± 0.04 and postharvest ripened, 0.19 ± 0.03), pH (tree ripened, 5.47 ± 0.27 and postharvest ripened, 5.25 ± 0.12), total phenolics (tree ripened, 42.43 ± 5.73 mgGAE/100 g and postharvest ripened, 32.81 ± 5.64 mgGAE/100 g), and DPPH free radical scavenging activity (tree ripened, 49.34 ± 5.94 100 mg/ml and postharvest ripened, 38.84 ± 6.50 100 mg/ml) of the mangoes. These results indicate that there was a significant difference in the biochemical qualities between tree-ripened and postharvest-ripened mangoes, which invariably will contribute to differences in the taste of tree-ripened versus postharvest-ripened mangoes.