African Journal of Biotechnology Vol. 7 (1), pp. 065-072, 4 January 2008   

ISSN 1684–5315 © 2008 Academic Journals        

Full Length Research Paper

Effects of disinfection, packaging and evaporatively cooled storage on sugar content of mango

A. Tefera¹, Tilahun Seyoum^2* and K. Woldetsadik¹

¹Haramaya University, College of Agriculture, Department of Food Science and Post-harvest Technology, P.O. Box 131, Haramaya, Ethiopia.

²Haramaya University, College of Agriculture, Department of Plant Science, P.O. Box 138, Haramaya, Ethiopia.

*Corresponding author. E-mail: Tilahun_Seyoum@yahoo.com. Tel: 251-255530312, Fax: 251 255530331/325.

Accepted 20 November, 2007

The present investigation was undertaken to evaluate the effect of post-harvest disinfection, packaging, evaporative cooling storage and their combined effect on the changes in sugar content of mango (Mangifera indica L.). The experiment was laid out in a factorial combination of disinfection, packaging and storage in a randomized complete block design with three replications. The mangoes were periodically analyzed for reducing sugar and total sugar. Non-reducing sugar was computed from the difference between experimental reducing and total sugars. Storage conditions significantly (P ≤ 0.01) affected sugar content in mangoes. Storage at ambient conditions with higher temperature and lower relative humidity as compared to the evaporatively cooled storage resulted in rapid deterioration in sugar content of the mangoes. During the storage period, packaging generally maintained higher (P ≤ 0.01) levels of reducing sugar, non-reducing sugar and total sugar. Similarly, disinfection treatment significantly (P ≤ 0.01) affected the changes in reducing, non-reducing and total sugars of mangoes during storage. Two-way interactions were significant (P ≤ 0.01) in terms of the changes in sugar content of mangoes. The benefits of the combined effect of post-harvest treatments on mangoes included maintenance of high reducing sugar, non-reducing sugar and total sugar.

Key words: Mango, total sugar, reducing sugar, evaporative cooling, disinfection, packaging.