ASCORBIC ACID AND TISSUE BROWNING IN MANGO CV HINDI BE-SENNARA FRUITS (Mangifera indica L.) UNDER COLD STORAGE

Abstract

This study was conducted to find out the relationship between ascorbic acid (AA), and internal browning (IB) incidence in Hindi Be-sennara mango fruits (Mangifera indica L.) during cold storage (4oC). Ascorbic acid content in two main parts (stem and calyx end of fruit) and three sub-main parts (peels, inner and outer pulps) of the fruits were measured. Internal browning in mango fruits found to be dependant on the fruit AA content. Exogenous application of AA (5.6 mM) decreased IB incidence when the fruits immersed for 24 hour compared to these immersed in water for the same time and stored at ambient conditions for 35 days. Mango fruits pre-storage immersing in diluted AA (5.6 mM), water is absorbed throughout the peel cells causing an increase on AA content and a decrease on its concentration. The decrease of IB incidence was appeared due to such increase on AA content in inner and outer parts of the fruit. This protection of the treated fruits may be related to the consumption of the externally added AA. Therefore, it could be said that the application of AA increases mango fruit quality, through protecting the from development of IB, also, the obtained results indicated that such treatment maintain the total phenols (TP) content in fruits during cold storage constant.