Edible Coatings for Mango Investigated

Researchers from Australia have found that various edible coatings can positively affect ripening and volatile flavor preservation in mango fruit, among other effects. The results of this research were published in the Feb. 27 issue of the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.

The researchers applied edible Aloe vera, Semperfresh or carnauba coatings to hard, mature, green Kensington Pride mango fruit to ascertain any effects on ripening and ripe fruit quality, including color, firmness, soluble solids concentrations, total acidity, ascorbic acid, total carotenoids, fatty acids and aroma volatiles. Untreated fruit served as the control.

After coating, the fruits were allowed to dry at room temperature and packed in soft-board trays to ripen at 21°C and 55.2% relative humidity until the fruit were soft enough to eat. The researchers found that carnauba wax effectively retarded fruit ripening, retaining fruit firmness, and improving fruit quality attributes, including levels of fatty acids and aroma volatiles. Both Semperfresh and A. vera gel slightly delayed fruit ripening, but reduced development of fruit aroma. A. vera gel coating did not exceed carnauba and Semperfresh in retarding fruit ripening and improving aroma volatile biosynthesis.