Impact of ripening methods on aroma and taste of Indian mango varieties: a study using E-sense technologies

This study examines the impact of both natural and ethylene-induced ripening methods on the aroma and taste of popular mango cultivars using Electronic Nose (E-nose) and Electronic Tongue (E-tongue). Five Indian mango varieties Badami, Banganapalli, Malgoa, Totapuri, and Mallika were selected for this study. Physicochemical parameters showed a decrease in acidity during ripening, accompanied by increase in pH and total soluble solids (TSS). Color changes from greenish to reddish-yellow were indicated by a reduction in L* values and an increase in both a* and b* values. E-tongue data revealed a reduction in sourness, corresponding with measured acidity. Principal component analysis (PCA) accounted for over 90% of the variance in taste and aroma across different ripening stages and varieties. Major aromatic compounds identified were limonene, β-ocimene, myrcene, β-pinene, β-caryophyllene, methyl acetate, ethyl acetate, ethyl butanoate, and γ-terpinene. Variable Importance in Projection (VIP) scores highlighted metabolic differences among ripening stages and mango varieties. Cross-validation tests confirmed significant differences in the composition and intensity of aroma compounds during ripening. Partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) demonstrated good fitness (R² > 0.95) of model in analysing aroma compounds. Ethylene-induced ripening accelerated the production of aromatic compounds but resulted in flavor loss during storage. Natural ripening was identified as the optimal method for preserving the aroma and taste of mangoes.