Fresh cut 'Tommy Atkins' tree-ripe mangos or with ethylene application were evaluated. Ethylene-ripe fruits were harvest mature-green stage and treated with ethylene (1g.L-1) and kept in chambers, for 12 hours, at 23-25ºC and 85-90 RH. Fruits were selected, washed with detergent, sanitized (200mg.L-1 of chlorine) and stored for 12 hours at 10ºC. After this period, they were processed under aseptic conditions at 12ºC, packed in PET trays or polystyrene trays covered with PVC film and stored at 3ºC. They were evaluated, every 3 days, for pulp firmness and color, ascorbic acid, soluble solids (SS), titratable acidity (TA), soluble and reduced carbohydrates and starch contents, SS/TA ratio, pH and peroxidase activity. During storage period, mango slices became firmer and maintained yellow, but darken, which was indicated by reduction in luminosity. Ascorbic acid contents of ethylene-ripe mango slices were lower than tree-ripe. The acidity decreased during the storage with the ethylene-ripe showing the highest values and lowest pH. The products of ethylene-ripe mango presented the highest SS values, but lowest SS/TA ratio, indicating acid taste. Soluble carbohydrates and starch contents have not shown variation with definite trend, but the reducers carbohydrates presented increment and peroxidase activity decreased during the storage. Fresh-cut products of tree-ripe mango were superior to the ethylene-ripe, keeping good quality and adequate appearance for commercialization until the 13th day, while the ethylene-ripe maintained it for 11 days.
maturation index; Mangifera indica; storage
