Changes in total phenolics and antioxidant activities in the developing fruits of mango

Abstract

The present study aimed to determine the changes in total phenolic contents and antioxidant activities during the course of fruit development in mango. Initially, 40 genotypes were assessed at ripe stage for total phenolic contents (TPC). TPC in peel was 4.87-fold higher compared to pulp. In peel and pulp tissues, the maximum total phenolic contents was in Langra (4.68 and 1.46 mg/g FW, respectively), while, minimum was in Ellaichi peel and Hybrid 1–5 pulp. Based on this, 21 mango genotypes having variable total phenols were selected to study the changes during fruit developmental stages, viz., marble, 15 days after marble, egg and ripe stage. Marble stage registered the highest total phenolics (28.88 mg/g FW) compared to 15-days after marble (25.18 mg/g FW), egg (21.72 mg/g FW) and ripe (2.25 mg/g FW) stages. The higher total phenols in peel was in concurrence with higher antioxidant activity (7.97 pmol trolox/g FW) compared to pulp (4.11 pmol trolox/g FW). The mean total phenols in mango genotypes showed positive correlation with total antioxidant activities in peel, pulp and mean of peel and pulp (R2 = 0.75, 0.89 and 0.87, respectively). Langra and Bombay Green had higher phenol contents at young stage of fruit development, which progressively declined towards the approach of ripe stage.