Mangoes covered with beeswax and starch composite had the best quality

Mango (Mangifera indica) cultivar ?Buxton spice? is a delicacy as a fresh fruit in Guyana because of its unique quality and flavour. The fruit is highly perishable after harvest causing economic losses along the postharvest marketing chain.? Four treatments were applied to determine their effectiveness in extending the postharvest life of ?Buxton Spice?: (1) beeswax, (2) beeswax and cassava starch, (3) cassava starch and (4) control, untreated. The treatments were arranged in a randomized complete block design, storing the fruits at ambient and refrigerated conditions. Three replicates each consisting of three fruits for each treatment were analysed at 3, 6, 9, 12 and 15 days after harvest for quality parameters. A panel of untrained persons familiar with quality of mango assessed the fruits for an indication of consumer acceptability. Fruit weight loss increased with its corresponding decrease in firmness with the beeswaxed fruits having the least weight loss and maintaining firmness for up to day 15. The beeswaxed treated fruits developed an ?off flavour? after nine days of storage while those treated with beeswax and starch composite had the best quality and was therefore the most acceptable among the treatments in extending postharvest life. This treatment (beeswax and starch) can therefore be applied to mango to reduce production and economic losses.SourcesHarry, Tandika & Morrison, Donna, 2018. "Examining the applicability of Beeswax and Cassava Starch to extend the Postharvest life of Mangoes (Mangifera indica)," Farm and Business - The Journal of the Caribbean Agro-Economic Society, Caribbean Agro-Economic Society, vol. 10(1), August.https://ideas.repec.org/a/ags/fabtho/276169.htmlPicture by?Chatak Food Products