Soluble Solids and Simple Sugars Measurement in Intact Mango Using Near Infrared Spectroscopy

Abstract

A rapid, reliable, and nondestructive method for quality evaluation of mango (Magnifera indica) fruit is important to the mango industry for international trade. The objective of this study was to determine the potential of near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy to predict soluble solids content (SSC) and individual and combined concentrations of sucrose, glucose, and fructose nondestructively in mango. Mature mangoes at two different temperatures (15 °C and 20 °C) were measured by NIR interactance (750–1088 nm wavelength region analyzed) over an 11-day period, starting when the fruit were underripe and extending to a few days past optimal ripeness. Partial least squares regression was used to develop models for SSC, individual sugar concentration, and the sum of the concentrations of the three sugars. Such analyses yielded calibration equations with R2 = 0.77 to 0.88 (SSC), 0.75 (sucrose), 0.67 (glucose), 0.70 (fructose), and 0.82 (sum); standard error of calibration = 0.56 to 0.90 (SSC), 10.0 (sucrose), 0.9 (glucose), 4.5 (fructose), and 10.4 (sum); and standard error of cross-validation = 0.93 to 1.10 (SSC), 15.6 (sucrose), 1.4 (glucose), 6.9 (fructose), and 16.8 (sum). When the SSC calibration was applied to a separate validation set, the standard error of performance ranged from 0.94% to 1.72%. These results suggest that for assessment of mango ripeness, NIR SSC calibrations are superior to the NIR calibrations for any of the individual sugars. This nondestructive technology can be used in the screening and grading of mangoes and in quality evaluation at wholesale and retail levels.