A Comparative Evaluation of Quality and Sensory Characteristics of 'apple' Mango Fruits Produced Under Different Agro-ecological Zones in Kenya

Abstract

The postharvest quality of fruits is greatly influenced by preharvest production conditions. In Kenya, mangos are produced under a wide range of agro-ecological zones (AEZs), from sub-humid to semi-arid. The diverse production conditions variably affect the fruit's shelf life and quality attributes. In this study, quality attributes of 'apple' mango fruits produced from a sub-humid AEZ (Embu) and a semi-arid AEZ (Makueni) were compared. The fruits were harvested at different stages; stage 1 (mature green) and stage 2 (advanced maturity). Quality attributes of the fruits including total soluble solids (TSS) and total titratable acidity (TTA), vitamin C and β-carotene were evaluated at harvest and at three-day intervals until the end of storage. Sensory attributes were determined by untrained panellists who scored tree-ripened fruits from the two AEZs for color, aroma, texture, taste and general preference. The results show the differences in behaviour of fruit harvested from Makueni and Embu. Harvesting mangos at advanced stages of maturity improved the outcome for most quality attributes evaluated. The untrained panellists corroborated the instrumental analyses as reflected in the higher hedonic scores for Makueni fruits in most of the sensory attributes. It was concluded that production location (AEZ) and harvest maturity impacted quality and sensory attributes of mango fruits. This should be considered by mango fruit processors to ensure consistency of the processed products.