Composition, sensory quality and respiration during ripening and storage of edible wild mango (Irvingia gabonensis)

The effects of tree and room ripening and of storage at chill temperatures and at 26–29°C on the sensory quality, composition and respiration of edible wild mango fruits were investigated. Fruits harvested at the mature green stage and ripened at 26–29°C were slightly preferred to tree‐ripened fruits in colour and texture. Apart from a lower moisture content, room‐ripened fruits were comparable in composition with tree‐ripened fruits. During storage at 26–29°C, CO2 production increased sharply from 22 ml kg‐1 h‐1 at the end of the first day, reaching a maximum of 91 ml kg‐1 on day 5 and declining thereafter; O2 consumption followed a similar trend. The respiratory climacteric coincided with the onset of ripening. Fruits held at 12–15°C developed symptoms of chilling injury including pitting and black spots in mature green fruits, and brownish discoloration, pitting, surface scald, excessive softening and decay in ripe fruits.