Choosing the right mango for the right product

With over a thousand different varieties of mangoes to choose from, selecting the right variety for mango products can be a daunting task. A new study in the Journal of Food Science, published by the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT), explores the impact that processing has on the flavor and texture of mango varieties. Findings suggest that processing plays an important role in determining the flavor and texture of the final product.

Researchers at Kansas State University studied the flavor and texture of four different mango varieties as they were processed from fresh mango to heat-treated purée to sorbet. Although many of the variety-specific flavor characteristics were carried over to the purées, processing had a different impact on each of the varieties, boosting or reducing the intensities of certain flavors in some, while not in others. Only very distinct flavor properties of the cultivars carried over to the sorbets, most of the variation in texture was lost once the mangoes were processed.

With the rising popularity of mango flavored products and increasing consumer awareness about fruit varieties, understanding differences among mango cultivars is becoming increasingly important. Findings from the current study serve as one resource that mango purée and sorbet manufacturers can use when choosing the right variety for their products.