Organoleptic characteristics evaluation of Diab mango fruits as affected by hot water treatments

Abstract: Mango, a highly perishable fruit, faces challenges in maintaining its quality during postharvest handling due to rapid ripening. To address this, hot water treatment (HW) has gained global recognition for its potential in enhancing the shelf life and overall quality of mango produce. This study, spanning the 2019 and 2020 seasons, focused on hot water dipping (HWD) treatments at 45 or 50°C for 5 and 10 minutes, followed by simulated shipping storage at 8±2°C and 90-95% relative humidity for three weeks, and subsequent ripening at 20°C. Using sensory evaluations through the Hedonic test, our findings after 21 days of ripening storage revealed that the HWD treatment at 50°C for 10 minutes yielded significantly higher scores for firmness, texture, and pulp color (3.49, 3.00, and 5.00, respectively) compared to untreated mangoes, which scored lower (1.15, 2.00, and 4.67). A gradual improvement in aroma and flavor scores was observed, with the 50°C, 10-minute treatment recording the highest scores (4.67 and 3.67), while control fruits exhibited the lowest taste scores (3.00 and 2.33). These results highlight the potential of HWD treatments, particularly at 50°C for 10 minutes, in enhancing mango quality and extending its shelf life.