Hot water treatment to regulate ripening and reduce spoilage of Alphonso mangoes.

Mangoes of the var. Alphonso were harvested at various stages of maturity during 1971-1972 and given hot water treatment at 54 plus/minus 1 degree C for 5 min to regulate ripening and control post-harvest microbial spoilage. The treatment accelerated ripening and reduced spoilage by greater than 50%, compared with control fruits. Fruit at an early stage of maturity generally ripened more slowly and therefore had a longer storage life compared with fully mature fruit. In such fruit hot water treatment hastened the onset of the respiratory climacteric by 3-6 days but had no effect on more mature fruit. Fruit treated with hot water showed a higher physiological wt. loss and improved surface colour and marketability without flavour being affected.