“The king of the fruits”, mango fruit is one of the most popular, nutritionally rich fruit with unique flavor, fragrance, taste, and heath promoting qualities making it a common ingredient in new functional foods often called “super fruits”.
Mango is one of the delicious tropical seasonal fruit and believed to be originated in the sub-Himalayan plains of Indian subcontinent. Botanically, this exotic fruit belongs to the family of Anacardiaceous, a family that also includes numerous species of tropical fruiting trees in the flowering plants such as cashew, pistachio...etc.
Types:
Keitt; Generally dead green on the outside, Keitt mangoes are easily one of the most fiber-less, juicy, thin-seeded, and largest mangoes available.
Kent; Often dead green on the outside, Kent mangoes will show some color when ripe. They are easily one of the most string-free, juicy and thin-seeded mangoes available.
Selecting:
Selecting the ripeness of mangos can be determined by either smelling or squeezing. A ripe mango will have a full, fruity aroma emitting from the stem end. Mangos can be considered ready to eat when slightly soft to the touch and yielding to gentle pressure, like a ripe peach. The best flavored fruit have a yellow tinge when ripe; however, color may be red, yellow, green, orange or any combination.
Storage:
If you find your mangoes are not quite ripe enough, store them at room temperature between 18 -22°C and out of the sun for a few days until the fruit ripens. Storing them in a paper bag for a few days will also help them along. When stored properly a mango should have a shelf life of about a week and while the mango will not ripen in the refrigerator, it can be kept chilled there once ripe, or it can be frozen, dried, cooked in syrup or puréed.
To get the best taste out of your mangoes, follow these simple storage tips:
- Mangoes should not be refrigerated until they are ripe
- Fully ripe mangoes can be stored in the refrigerator for a few days
- Never store mangoes in plastic bags – mangoes need air
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