Provitamin A and Vitamin C Contents of Several Varieties of Mango (Mangifera indica L.) Grown in Puerto Rico

Abstract

The chemical composition of 30 mango varieties from the Fortuna Substation in the Southern Region of Puerto Rico was studied. The proportion of peel, pulp, and seed, as well as the moisture content, total and soluble solids, ascorbic acid, total and reducing sugars, pH, total titrable acidity, and ß-carotene were determined for each variety. Of these varieties, the Edward gave the highest pulp yield; and the Julie and the Francisque had the highest vitamin C values, providing the MDR with 200 g. of pulp. The Carrie, Palmer, Paheri, Adams, Zill, Edward, and Sensation surpassed the MDR of 5,000 I.U. for vitamin A, with the Carrie showing the highest with 7,9001. U. per 100 g. of pulp. Six of these varieties were again analyzed the following year. The resulting differences between the same varieties in the 2 years that they were analyzed could be attributed to an error in the visual evaluation of the degree of ripeness of the fruit at harvesttime.