Chilling injury in mangoes

At present, the value and production quantity of mango fruits are increasing worldwide. Many studies emphasize how chilling injury phenomena affect the quality of tropical fruits, such as mango, during postharvest handling, transport, and storage. Since mango is one of the most favored and popular fruits in the world market, and is considered to be a climacteric fruit, ripening rapidly after harvest, it is essential to study how storage affects the external and internal fruit quality in order to extend the shelf life. Chilling injury occurs when mango thereafter, are exposed to temperatures below 15 o C, but above the freezing point of the tissue. After a certain period of storage at these temperatures, and especially after a subsequent rise in temperatures, certain injuries in the plant tissue can be seen, such as water soaking, pitting, or browning. The possible causes of this type of injury will be reviewed and the consequences for cell components summarized. A distinction is made between the primary processes of chilling injury and subsequent secondary injuries. The membrane phase change and oxidative stress models of primary chilling injury are introduced. How cell components are affected by chilling injury is then discussed, as is the relationship between pre-harvest conditions, post-harvest handling, and injury. Lastly, the roles of different anti-oxidants and anti-oxidant enzymes are discussed and some techniques used for the measurement of chilling injury are introduced.