Mango: A Regal Legacy

The mango, believed to have originated around five to six thousand years ago in Eastern India, Thailand, Myanmar, the Andaman Islands, or Malaysia, is acclaimed as the 'King of Fruits' and proudly holds the designation of India's national fruit. Mango trees, known for their towering presence that can reach up to 40 meters with a rounded canopy, are bestowed with a remarkable lifespan exceeding 100 years. In order to manage their height, mango trees in plantations are commonly subjected to grafting onto smaller rootstock.

The rich diversity of mango cultivars is a testament to the fruit's prominence in Asia and India, where over 500 distinct varieties thrive, each characterized by its long and leathery leaves. The fruit, a substantial and fleshy drupe, houses an edible mesocarp of varying thickness, which contains fibers that produce a distinctive 'crackling' sound when crushed. Fragrant mango flowers, encompassing both male and female varieties, form on terminal panicles, adding to the visual and olfactory allure of the mango tree.

Mangoes exhibit a captivating spectrum of skin colors, ranging from vibrant green to yellow or even red, often adorned with a distinctive point known as the beak. Regardless of their color or variety, ripe medium-sized mangoes are a nutritional powerhouse, providing a generous supply of carbohydrates, fiber, and essential vitamins such as A, B1, B6, and C, along with various minerals vital for human health. The mesocarp, renowned for its 'Indian Yellow' hue, contains mangiferin, a compound historically employed as a natural dye.

Beyond its culinary and nutritional significance, the mango has historical roots ingrained in the vibrant cultures of the regions it hails from. Its journey from a humble discovery to earning the regal title of 'King of Fruits' showcases the enduring connection between humanity and this delectable tropical gem. As we celebrate the mango's multifaceted attributes, it becomes clear that its legacy extends far beyond its delicious taste, encompassing cultural, historical, and agricultural dimensions that make it a truly majestic fruit.
Mango: A Regal Legacy

Sugar in mango

Mango is a very popular specialty fruit in the United States and Its current popularity is attributed mainly to its unique flavor, aroma, and appearance. Flavor, especially, is a consumption attribute critical to consumer acceptability of mangoes.

Mango is mostly eaten fresh as a dessert also processed as juices, jams, jellies, nectars as well as crisp mango chips.

Organic acids and sugars are key components in the perception of mango flavor as in most fruit. The predominant acid is citric. On the other hand, as a result of starch hydrolysis from increased amylase activity during ripening, sucrose is the major sugar in the ripe fruit.

The fruit flesh of ripe mango contains about 15% of total sugars. Fructose is the major monosaccharide during the preclimateric phase, while sucrose is the principal sugar in ripe mango fruit.

The carbohydrate profile of this fruit is modified during the ripening process from complex carbohydrates such as starch to single sugars such as monosaccharides (glucose, fructose) and disaccharides (sucrose).

The USDA Nutrient Database (United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, 2018) reports that the total carbohydrate and sugar contents of Tommy Atkins, Haden, Kent, and Keitt cultivars per 100 g fruit is 14.98 and 13.66 g, respectively (sucrose, 6.97 g; glucose, 2.01; and fructose, 4.68 g), and 1.6 g of dietary fiber/100 g of fruit.

The amount of sugar of the harvested mangoes were significantly influenced by the stages of harvest and period of storage. Total sugar, reducing sugar and non-reducing sugar were sharply increased at optimum ripe stage, while slightly declined at last edible stage. All the sugars were the lowest at earliest harvests, which increased gradually with delay in harvest.
Sugar in mango

Starch in mango kernel

Mango kernels, a low-valued agro-solid waste obtained after decortications of mango stone, is rich source of starch and it contain about 73% of starch, while it also contains 12% fat and 10% of proteins. The proteins and starch are easily digestible.

Starch can be recovered from the kernels and used in industry. Mango kernel is used in making pickles, flour and starch and mango kernel starch is used in textile, paper and jute industries.

Starch occurs naturally as discrete particles, called granules. Granule size and shape of starch are reported to be primary affected by the germplasm from which the starch is isolated.

Starch consists of two types of glucose polymers, namely, amylase (linear chains of unbranched D-glucose residues connected by α-1-4 linkages) and amylopectin (highly branched D-glucose residues; branching occurs in every 24-30 residues as α-1-6 linkages).
Starch in mango kernel

Mango blends

Mango can be blended with a number of other fruits for product preparation. In mango juice blends, the beverage is made mostly of non-mango juice such as grape, orange and apple but will contain some mango or an additive to impart a mango flavor.

Papaya was blended with mango at 25-33% for beverage preparation. Papaya, being cheaper than mango, could be blended with Dashehari, Chausa or other varieties of mango in the preparation of economically viable blended beverages.

Among the mango-papaya blended squash formulation, the one containing 75 parts of mango and 25 parts of papaya was found to be the most acceptable in terms of color, appearance, flavor and taste attributes even after 90 days of storage at room temperature.

Blends of mango puree with papaya, orange, kinnow, apple, guava, pear, peach and apricot could be used in many foods. Mango butter was prepared by mixing puree with 20-30% nut paste, by diluting the mixture with one-third water and heating at 90±5 ° C for 1-2 hr.

Similarly, mango puree was used in ice cream with 20% mango, 25-30% whole milk, 13-14% sucrose, 9-10% high fructose corn syrup and 0.3% thickener/stabilizer.
Mango blends

Mango ice cream

Mangos are considered in some cultures to be a food of the gods. Smooth, juicy and utterly delicious, eating a ripe mango is an experience to relish.

Mango ice cream is a tropical delight. It is popular flavor everywhere. The mangos must be very ripe and very sweet. The mango puree should be made just before making the ice cream.

Ingredients for making mango ice cream include:
Ripe mangoes
Half cup sugar/ caster sugar
One cup heavy cream (chilled) or whipped cream
Fresh lemon juice
Mango ice cream

Mango concentrate

The purpose of concentration of mango is to remove at least 50% of the initial water content. Mango pulp was concentrated by four methods:
*Freeze concentration
*Evaporation under vacuum
*Centrifugal separation of the juice into pulp and serum, the serum being concentrated alone using freeze concentration
*Evaporation

If concentrate is to be prepared from puree, treatment with enzymes to break down pectin and cellulose, followed by centrifugation or fine-mesh filtration, is necessary.

The concentrated is stable without the addition of chemicals as long as it is kept frozen.

Flowchart: Processing of mango concentrate

It serves as base for further industrial processing and formulations as mango juice, nectars and ice cream and drink mixes.

The optimum concentration of mango pulp is 45 - 48° Brix, and the quality of ready-to-serve beverages prepared from the concentrated is comparable to that from fresh pulp.

Enzymatic liquefaction has been employed to improve the quality of higher °Brix concentrates. Mango concentrates are utilizes in the preparations of juice and energy drinks.
Mango concentrate

Mango custard powder

What is custard: Custard is a sweet yellow sauce from milk and eggs or from milk and a powder. Depending on how much egg or thickener is used, custard may vary in consistency from the thin pouring cause to a thick pastry cream.

Most common custards are used as desserts or dessert sauces and typically include sugar and vanilla.

Custard powder is also used to make custard. This is flavored cornflour-based powder that is mixed with a little cold milk and sugar and stirred into boiling milk.

Mango custard powder is obtained from mango pulp mixed with skimmed milk powder, sugar, corn starch or other ingredients.

The blend then is dried to 1-1.5% moisture and ground to a granular powder.
Mango custard powder

Mango fruit

The mango fruit is a large, fleshy drupe, containing an edible monocarp of varying thickness.  The average weight of mature mango fruit may range between 60 to 800 g.

The mesocarp is resinous and highly variable with respect to shape, size, color, presence of fiber and flavor.

Fruit length can range from 5 to 25 cm depending on the cultivar. The endocarp is woody, thick and fibrous. Fruit range in shape from spherical to ovoid to elongate, with many variations in between. The surface of the fruit varies to undulating

A ripe mango is soft to touch, with a pleasant aroma, and has a flavor often described as a peach-pineapple combination.

Ripe mango fruit may be greenish yellow or yellow in color, or it may have a yellow background color with various shades of orange, red or purple which occur as a ‘blush’ on a variable portion of the surface.

Time from flowering to fruit maturity takes 3-6 months depending upon cultivar and temperatures.

Mango is a climacteric fruit, which is best harvest in a mature but unripe stage, about 2.5 to 4.5 months from blooming and usually transported in the firm, green preclimacteric stage.
Mango fruit

Mango chutney

In Indian cuisine a chatni is a spicy relish eaten as a side dish to add interest to less piquant food, such as rice or DAL.

There are many versions of chutneys. The mango chutney is by far the most popular of all chutneys.

Mango chutney is the product prepared from washed, clean, sound mango fruits which have been peeled and are sliced, chopped, shredded or comminuted, then heat processed with basic ingredients before or after being sealed in containers so as to prevent spoilage. The mangoes turn nicely translucent when cook in its syrup of vinegar, sugar and seasoning.

The recipe from the north-eastern Indian state of Bihar shows, fresh mango are simmered in palm sugar with ginger, garlic and spices to make a sweet chutney which when bottled, will keep in the fridge for several weeks.

Generally, ingredients vary according to region and tastes. Thus coconut chutney is the most popular relish in S. India, while herb and coconut chutney is typical of W. India; purely herb chutneys are eaten in W. and N. India.
Mango chutney

Mango jam

The ripe fruits are peeled and washed after the seeds are removed.

The process for making mango jam is typical of many other fruit jams and is made fruit pulp, with added sugar, pectin, calcium chloride and citric acid.

The proportion of mashed fruits and sugar is: 10 parts mashed fruits and 6 parts sugar.

As the mixture is being cooked slowly to avoid caramelization, calamansi juice is added. 

The mixture is boiled until thick. There are many ways to enjoy mango jams.

Raw jams on raw crackers or cookies make an excellent snack at breakfast or anytime. Raw mango jam will keep in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.
Mango jam

The Tree of Mango

Mango is one of the most productive tropical plants. Mango contains protein, fat, carbohydrate, minerals, vitamins A, B, C, amino acids, resins, natural sugars, and citric tartaric and malic acids.

The mango tree is believed to have evolved as a canopy layer or emergent species of the tropical rainforest of South-east Asia.

The trunk of the tree is covered by a dark grey, cracked bark, when old. The young plant, to be sure, has a green outer skin called epidermis, like annual herbs.

Mature trees can attain a height of 40 m or more and can survive for several hundred years.

Mango trees that have been domesticated by selection from openly pollinated seedling populations show variation in tree architecture.

The tree is an arboresent evergreen. Leaves are simple and alternate, with petioles that range in length from 1 to 12.5 cm.

The petioles, besides placing the leaves in such position that they can get light, also save them from being torn when wind blows very strongly as they are springy.

Leaf morphology is highly variable, depending on the cultivar: leave can be lanceolate, oblong, ovate and intermediate types involving these forms.

Leaf length ranges from 12 to 38 cm and width can be between 2 -13 cm. Young leaves are copper colored, changing gradually to light and then dark green with age.

The leaves are spirally arranged in whorls and are produced in flushes. The canopy is normally oval, elongated or dome shaped.

The leaves of mango tree contain saponins, glycerine, sterols, polyphenols an benzoic acid and posses antibiotic properties.

Mango tree is able to keep its leaves on all the year round and thus can keep its root much cooler than a tree which has at times no leaves.

The juvenile period of seedling trees can range from 3 to 7 years. The root system consist of along, vigorous taproot and abundant surface feeder roots.
The Tree of Mango

Vitamin in Mango

Vitamin in Mango
The vitamin value of mango fruit lies mainly in its vitamin C, vitamin A and small amounts of vitamin B group.

They are extremely rich in vitamin A, with a high concentration of beta carotene. One mango may have 10,000 IU of vitamin A.

Mango source of vitamin A to the extent that one medium size mango can meet the vitamin A requirement for one week.

Intake of mango, therefore, can avoid vitamin A deficiency which otherwise leads to many eye troubles like keratitis.

The vitamin also protects the epithelium of the cornea, iris and retina.

During ripening process, the fruit are initially acidic, astringent and rich in ascorbic acid (vitamin C). Ripe mangoes containing moderate levels of vitamin C, fairly rich in provitamin B1 and B2. Pulp mangoes is concentrated source of vitamin C.

Vitamin C has been touted as a nutrient that can help fight stress. Vitamin C also boosts the body’s ability to fight infection and a growing body of research suggest that it may protect against heart disease and certain types of cancer.

Vitamin C’s potential as a chronic disease fighter stems from its function as an antioxidant.
Vitamin in Mango

History of Mangifera indica (Mango)

History of Mangifera indica (Mango)

M. indica was evidently domesticated in the northern India-Burma region, where it still grows wild in the hills of Assam and adjacent areas.

The wild trees, like their cultivated derivates, can grow to over 40 m in height and live for over a century.

The mango was probably being planted in India by 2000 B.C and is prominently recorded in ancient Sanskrit writings.

Human selection has been concentrated on the fruit and has produced cultivars with much larger, better flavored fruits with less resin and fiber and smaller pits.

During the 17th century, the Portuguese planted mangoes in coastal areas of both East and West Africa; but acceptance by the Africans was slow and spread into the interior was erratic.

Mango trees were present in a few interior market towns in West Africa, e.g., Fouta Djallon, when European explorers arrived in the late 19th century, but most of the spread came later.

The earliest known successful introduction of M. indica to the New World was to Bahia in Brazil about 1700 with plantings elsewhere along the Brazilian coast soon after.

In 1742, the mango was successfully introduced to Barbados from Rio de Janeiro. Soon other direct introductions to the West Indies were made from the Indian Ocean.

In latter half of the 18th century, British and French colonial botanical gardens played a leading role in mango introduction.

Mango trees, along with East Indian spice trees, were planted in the St. Vincent botanical garden when it was started in 1766.

Meanwhile, a quite spate introduction had taken place across the Pacific from the Philippine to Mexico.

Mangoes were not grown around Manila until over a century after the trade with Mexico began, nor were they grown in Mexico until late in the 18th century when Mexico acquired, under the name of mango of Manila, the unusual apomictic variety grown in the Philippine and Guam.

The great expansion of mango growing over tropical Central and South America took place between 1800 and 1850 mainly by casualty planted and volunteer seedling trees often yielding poor quality fruit.

Geographic spread of Mangifera was essentially completed in the last half of the 19th century with its introduction to such far flung places as Florida, Hawaii, Fiji, Queensland and Natal.
History of Mangifera indica (Mango)

Mango Industry

Mango Industry
The mango is one of the oldest cultivated fruit crops, having grown in India for at last 4000 years. It is now widely spread throughout the tropics and subtropics.

At present at least 94 countries produce mangoes. After banana and citrus it is the third most important crops of the topics.

The fruit occupies an important socio economic position in India and south-east Asian countries where it is held in big esteem. Mangoes are consumed fresh, as either green or mature ripe, and processed into numerous products.

World production for 2001 was estimated as 23 million tones. International trade in mangoes is expanding as the fruit gains global recognition. Maximum mango yields (33 tones/ha) are low compared top other tree fruit crops such as apple 112 t/ha, pear 90 t/ha, orange 80 t/ha, peach 56 t/ha and prune 45 t/ha.

The mango industry is plagued by inconsistent production with annual yields fluctuating by up to 150%. The average yield in India is low 8.31 t/ha. This is mainly due to neglect in orchard management and alternate bearing tendency of the commercial cultivars.

The development of regular bearing, better quality and high yielding varieties has greatly helped in sustaining increased production of the crop.

During the last decade there has been a steady increase in mango production as markets have been developed in Europe and North America.

There is now substantial mango production in Central and South America, as well as an expanding industry in regions such as northern Australia, South Africa, and southern USA.
Mango Industry

Mango and health

Mango and health
Mango is sweet and sour, with a cooling energy. It is rich in amino acids, beta carotene, niacin, vitamin C and E, flavonoids, calcium, iron, magnesium and potassium. Mango also contains pectin, which is useful in lowering blood cholesterol levels.

The fruit is considered yin tonic, providing moistening fluids for the body and quenching thirst. It has alternative (blood purifying), antiseptic, diuretic, and laxative properties.

Mangoes have been used to treat anemia, bleeding gums, clogged pores, constipation, cough, cysts, fever, hypertension, indigestion, nausea, nephritis (kidney inflammation), respiratory ailments, seasickness and weak digestion.

They calm the emotions, benefit the brain, strengthen the heart and provide energy.

Some mango species do no turn red, yellow or orange, which means that with some varieties you are likely to buy them green and must look for other signs or ripeness. A ripe mango yields to the pressure of a fingertip and has a sweet fragrance.

Putting a mango in a paper bag in a warm place helps the ripening process. Avoid shriveled fruits with large, dark areas in their skin, as these are overripe.
Mango and health

Mango in Hawaii

Mango in Hawaii
Mango trees originally came from India, where people have grown them for centuries for their sweet fruit. Now about 600 types of mangoes grow throughout the tropics.

These trees which grow up to 70 feet tall, produce year round of leaves, making them good shade trees as well as fruit trees. They grow best at low attitudes.

Hawaii’s first mango tress came from Mexico between 1800 and 1820. Most produce their fruit, called by some the king of fruits, between March and October. The taste and texture of mangos differs among types. Some are smooth and sweet, while others are fibrous and taste like turpentine.

The most popular in Hawaii are Haden and Pirie mangoes, cultivated for their sweet flavor and smooth flesh. People eat the fruit raw, pickled in preserves, as chutney and as jelly. Preserved mango seeds also are popular.

A type of resin runs through all mango trees. Some people are allergic to this resin, getting a rash from the sap of the leaves or the skin of the fruit. Others use the gum and bark of the trees for a medicine. Crushed mango leaves have a mild turpentine smell.

In Hawaii , people use mango wood to carve bowls and other objects.

Cashew trees are relatives of mango trees. The resin of cashews is poisonous.
Mango in Hawaii

Mango Powder

Mango Powder
A dehydrated mango powder has been developed for use in baby foods or reconstituted for beverages in India. The dried mango powder is also used for fruit cakes. It is a common method to peel and slice mangoes and then dry them in the sun. This indigenous practice is prevalent in India.

Mango baby foods are prepared from sulfated mango pulp using several techniques such as drum drying, puff drying, foam-mat drying, and spray drying. Mango slices are blanched in boiling water and then dehydrated in dryers where the temperature and humidity are controlled, the product obtained by the drum-drying process not only maintains all the qualities of a good product, but also retains high percentages of ascorbic acid.

Ascorbic acid is retained better in the freeze dried powder than in the drum dried powder. SO2 in the pulp increases the stability of the ascorbic acid. The drum dried powder has some non-enzymatic browning during storage. The powder produced by the foam-mat drying of mango pulp is inferior in color, flavor, and acceptability to that produced by spray drying.

A reduction in viscosity of mango pulp by pectin enzymatic treatment and then spray drying will result in a good mango powder that is relatively inexpensive. The products have good rehydration capacity and show reasonable retention of flavor and nutrient constituent.
Mango Powder

Mango Properties

Mango Properties
Nice and low in calories and fat the mango is a very good source of fiber for bowel health and cholesterol control. It has rich amounts of vitamins A and C for possible protection against certain cancers. Its vitamin E contains enhances the immune response to certain disease. And it has vitamin B6, which is essential for the synthesis of heme.

Some people suffer stomach complaints of they drink milk or alcohol shortly after eating mangoes. Allergy alert: Mangoes belong to the same family as poison ivy: The skin of the fruit (as well as parts of the tree itself) may produce rashes in susceptible people.

A flattish oval fruit with yellow green or reddish skin, the mango is ripe where it’s very fragrant and yields to gentle pressure. There’s large, clinging pit that can only be removed by cutting it away from the flesh.
Mango Properties

Mango Juice

Mango Juice
Mangoes aid poor circulation. Mango juice combined with the papaya juice helps to ease inflammation, digestive problems, fever and pain.

In parts of Asia mango juice is used to relieve dehydration. Mangoes are one of the top fruit sources of beta-carotene, in addition to having a high vitamin C content, the tender flesh, which is the part eaten, also contains insoluble fiber.

Key nutrient in mangoes include vitamin C, vitamin E, potassium, fructose, glucose, iron, fiber, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, sodium, zinc, copper, manganese, vitamin B1 (thiamine), vitamin B2, (riboflavin), vitamin B3 (niacin), pantothenic acid, folate acid, and small amounts of lipids and amino acids.

Important phytochemicals include beta carotene pectin, gallic acid, limonene, myristic acid tannin, lutein, zeaxanthin, and beta cryptoxanthin.
Mango Juice

History of Mango in India and Southeast Asia

History of Mango in India and Southeast Asia
Domestication of mango probably occurred at different times and in different –places on the Indian subcontinent and elsewhere in Southeast Asia. Mango cultivated in India can be dated to 4000 BC. Today the mango tree and it fruit remain important Indian religious and cultural symbols.

It has been suggested that the Portuguese, who established trading outposts along the west coast of India in the 15th century, introduced vegetative propagation methods in India and these were used for the first time to clone superior monoembryonic trees. The most important mango cultivars of India e.g., ‘Alphonso,’ ‘Dashehari,’ and ‘Langra,’ are selections that were made at the time of Akbar the Great and have therefore been propagated vegetative for several hundred years.

It is uncertain when cultivation of polyembryonic mangoes originated in Southeast Asia. According to a linguist analysis of the various common names for mango in Southeast Asia, they concluded that polyembryonic mango was probably domesticated independently by several indigenous cultures in that region. The traditional cultivars of South Asia, e.g., ‘Arumanis’ in Indonesia and ‘Carabao’ in the Philippines, continue to be propagated as nucellar seedlings in the region.

The spread of mango from South and Southeast Asia to tropical and subtropical areas of the world came as a result of the Portuguese and Spanish voyages of exploration from the end of the 15th century onward. Generally speaking, the Southeast Asia polyembryonic types were carried across the Pacific Ocean along the Spanish trade routes to Peru, Central America and Mexico. The most important mango cultivar of Mexico today is the polyembryonic ‘Manila.’ The Portuguese carried Indian mango westward to their outposts in Africa, and later to Brazil.
History of Mango in India and Southeast Asia