EFFECT OF COATINGS OVER THE QUALITY AND SHELF LIFE OF MANGO (MANGIFERA INDICA L.) FRUIT

Langra and Samar Bahisht Chaunsa varieties of mango fruit were harvested at hard green stage of maturity. The samples were coated with coconut oil, natural ghee (clarified butter) and potassium metabisulphite; and stored at 20, 30 and 40C till their ripening. The fruit was analyzed for various physical and chemical characteristics at the harvest as well as at the ripened stage. In addition, ethylene production rate, weight loss and waste percent were measured. The obtained results indicated that every coating has significantly different impact over the quality and shelf life of the fruit under the limit of P = 0.05. The ripening rate, weight loss and waste percentage were low, whereas the shelf life was longer and the quality was better for a particular storage temperature in case of natural ghee coating as compared with others, concluding that this novel coating was better than all we applied. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS Mango fruit (Mangifera indica L.) is one of the most popular fruits all over the world as it has attractive color, delicious taste and excellent nutritional properties. However, mangoes are climacteric and ripe rapidly after it is harvested that limits its storage, handling and transport potential. Therefore, we have coated the fruit with three different materials to prolong the shelf life while keeping the quality of the fruit high. Therefore, our research work has lot of potential in food and fruit industry and can be exploited by farmers, industrialists and exporters of mango fruit.