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What makes a mango smell good?

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Smell and texture are two important traits to know if your mango is fresh and ready to eat.

A fresh mango should smell just how the fruit will taste.

If you notice an alcohol or sour scent near the stem of the fruit this means that the mango is overripe.

Mangoes are high in sugar and if they over ripen they actually begin to ferment – that is make alcohol.

To date more than 400 ‘volatiles’, the aromatic component, have been reported in the scientific literature.

A new study published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry has revealed how complex the ‘fresh’ mango smell really is.

The purpose of the study was the following:

  • (1) to quantitate the most aroma-active compounds previously detected in the ‘Haden’ mango cultivar with high FD factors, using stable isotope dilution assays  (SIDA);
  • (2) to reconstitute the aroma of ‘Haden’ mangoes by a solution of reference aroma compounds in the natural concentrations as obtained in part 1 and compare it to the genuine fruit material in a quantitative descriptive analysis (QDA) test as a validation of success; and
  • (3) to apply omission tests to the aroma simulation model established in part 2 to evaluate the contribution of individual compounds and/or groups of compounds to the overall aroma.

Study details:

  • Ripe mango fruits (Haden variety) were harvested by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Agricultural Research Service (ARS) Station in Miami, FL, USA.
  • Ripeness was determined by experienced ARS personnel through sensory evaluation of color, firmness, taste, and aroma.

Study Results:

  • The concentration of major aroma active compounds was determined.
No. Aroma active copounds in Mango odor quality
1 ethyl 2-methylbutanoate fruity
2 (3E,5Z)-undeca-1,3,5-triene pineapple
3 ethyl 3-methylbutanoate fruity
4 ethyl butanoate fruity
5 (2E,6Z)-nona-2,6-dienal cucumber, green
6 ethyl 2-methylpropanoate fruity
7 (E)-β-damascenone cooked apple
8 ethyl hexanoate fruity
9 HDMF caramel
10 3-methylbut-2-ene-1-thiol sulfurous
11 γ-decalactone peach
12 β-myrcene terpeny
13 (3Z)-hex-3-enal green
14 4-methyl-4-sulfanylpentan-2-one tropical fruit
15 ethyl octanoate fruity
16 acetic acid vinegar
17 δ-octalactone coconut
18 dimethyl trisulfide cabbage
19 γ-octalactone coconut
20 δ-decalactone coconut
21 MDMF caramel
22 2-phenylethanol floral, rose
23 2-acetyl-1-pyrroline cooked rice
24 3-methylnonane-2,4-dione hay
25 (2E)-non-2-enal fatty
26 (E)-β-ocimene terpeny
27 (Z)-β-ocimene terpeny
28 3-(methylsulfanyl)propanal cooked potato
29 4-methylphenol barnyard
30 trans-4,5-epoxy-(2E)-dec-2-enal metallic
31 butanoic acid sweaty, rancid
32 sotolon maple
33 2-phenylethyl acetate floral
34 3-methylbutanoic acid sweaty, rancid

 

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Jeremy Johnson, PharmD, PhD
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Categories: Food, Plant Medicine