HOW WELL DO YOU KNOW THE FRUITS IN SEASON?

Common name: mango

Botanical name: Mangifera indica

Yoruba name: Mangoro

Igbo name: Mangolo

Hausa name: Mangwaro

Mango fruit is a drupe, or stone fruit, which means that it has a large seed in the middle. Mango fruit is one of the most popular, nutritionally rich fruits with unique flavor, fragrance, taste, and heath promoting qualities, making it the best among new functional foods. The outer skin (pericarp) of mangoes is smooth and is green in un-ripe mangoes but turns in ripe fruits into golden yellow, crimson red, yellow or orange-red depending upon the cultivar type. Fresh mango season lasts from April until August.

Mango comes in different shapes and sizes depending upon cultivar types. Internally, its flesh (mesocarp) is juicy, orange-yellow in color with numerous soft fibrils radiating from its centrally placed flat, oval-shaped stone (enveloping a single large kidney-shaped seed). It has a pleasant and rich flavor with a sweet taste. A high-quality mango fruit should feature no or very less fiber content and minimal tartness. Mango seed (stone) may either has a single embryo, or sometimes polyembryonic.

HOW TO SELECT AND STORE YOUR MANGO

Choose mangoes with intact skin without any bruises or cuts, thus unripe mangoes can be kept at room temperature for few days, and to ripen, keep them in paper covers while ripe fruits should be stored in the refrigerator but never below 10° F (50°C). Bring back to normal temperature when the fruit is to be eaten to get the natural taste and flavor.

watch out for our next post on mango.