Journal of Animal and Plant Sciences
J. Anim. Plant Sci. [ISSN 2071 - 7024]
Volume 17(3): 2619 - 2630. Published April, 2013.
Evaluation of chemical and nutritional quality attributes of selected mango varieties at three stages of ripeness, grown in lower Eastern province of Kenya – part 2
Okoth E. M.1; Sila D.N 1; Onyango C. A*2; Owino W.O1; Musyimi S.M1, Mathooko F.M3;
1Department of Food Science and Technology of Jomo Kenyatta University
of Agriculture and Technology, P. O. Box 62000-00200, NAIROBI- Kenya
2Taita Taveta University College, P. O. Box 635 – 80300, VOI, Kenya
3South Eastern Kenya University, P.O. Box 170-90200, KITUI, Kenya
*Corresponding author e-mail: cakoth2002@yahoo.co.uk
Key words: Mango varieties, ecological zones, chemical qualities, ripeness stages
1 SUMMARY
Mango fruits are widely grown in Kenya for domestic and export
utilization. Selected chemical and nutritive quality attributes of
Apple, Ngowe and Kent were evaluated at three stages of ripeness. The
cultivars were obtained at the unripe stage from Lower Eastern Province
(Kitui and Machakos) of Kenya. Total titratable acidity (TTA), vitamin
C, and crude fiber decreased with ripeness, whereas total soluble
solids (TSS), TSS/TTA, β-carotene, crude fat, crude protein, fructose,
glucose, and sucrose increased with increasing ripeness. The Apple
varieties showed superior quality attributes in terms of low TTA of
0.04%, higher TSS of ≥19.50 ºBrix at ripe stage. It registered the
highest vitamin C content of 109.35mg/100g (FW) at the unripe stage,
lowest moisture content of 79.96% and highest dry matter of 20.04% both
at their ripe stages. It also recorded the highest crude fiber content
(0.89%) at its unripe stage and had highest crude fat content (0.11%)
at its ripe stage compared to other varieties at the same stages of
ripeness. The Kent varieties scored lowest in TSS (6.50ºBrix), vitamin
C content at all stages, moderately high moisture content and lowest
dry matter at their intermediate stage, lowest crude protein at unripe
stage, and lowest in fructose of 8.54 mg/ml. Kent variety from Kitui
zone also scored poorly in TSS/TTA ratio of 16.67 and had the lowest
content in β-carotene at their unripe stage. It had the highest
moisture content of 86.32% and the least dry matter of 13.68%. This
variety also had low content of crude protein at their unripe stage of
0.02%. Ngowe fruit from the two zones scored moderately at the three
stages of ripeness on most of the attributes evaluated. The results
indicated that Apple mango variety is the most promising for both fresh
consumption and processing purposes as it scored highly in most of the
chemical and nutritional quality attributes analyzed.
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