The US National Mango Board (NMB) has published a best practices manual in conjunction with the University of Florida in an effort to improve fruit quality from harvest right through to the US supply chain.
The so-called Mango Postharvest Best Management Practices Manual is the culmination of nearly four years of research and analysis funded by NMB and conducted by a team of mango experts led by Dr Jeff Brecht of the University of Florida.
The goal is to provide all members of the mango supply chain with tools and information to help them deliver “outstanding mango quality” to US consumers on a consistent basis, NMB said in a news statement.
“The NMB’s mission is to increase demand for mangos in the US, and consistent mango quality is an extremely important factor,” said NMB executive director, William Watson.
In the manual, users will find a detailed outline of the mango supply chain with best practices described at each step.
A section on quality control procedures covers other important topics, such as determining mango maturity.
Also included are forms for assessing mango quality and for auditing handling procedures at the farm, packhouse, importer warehouse, distribution centre or retail store.
“The quality of mangos shipped to the US is generally quite good,” said Mr Watson.“Improvements in quality can only help to drive greater consumer confidence and more trust from our retail partners.
“Each time a consumer has a great mango eating experience, we build momentum and increase the chances that they will buy mangoes again in the future.Working to ship better quality is an investment in the future of the mango business.”
The NMB’s 2007-2009 research project, Monitoring and Evaluation of the Mango Supply Chain to Improve Mango Quality, was the basis for the Mango Postharvest Best Management Practices Manual.
This project involved sending researchers into the mango-growing regions in Mexico, Peru, Ecuador, Brazil and Guatemala to observe the supply chain in action, evaluate quality parameters and identify practices to improve mango quality.
Researchers from the University of Florida, University of California Davis, Universidad Del Valle in Guatemala and PEB Commodities conducted the research, analysed the findings and developed the recommendations for the manual.
“This project and the manual are a unique endeavour for the mango industry,” said Mr Watson.“It’s the first time anyone has looked at the mango supply chain from the main source countries all the way to the US retail display, compared the methods used in different places, and developed a set of best practices for mango handling.This is an exciting development for the mango industry.”
The NMB is currently creating an extension programme to engage growers and packers in the source countries and encourage the adoption of the best practices outlined in the manual.
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