Glossary

Ripening stage describes how far a fruit has progressed toward its characteristic eating quality. In mangoes, firmness, aroma, flesh texture, and internal color change during ripening, while peel color can be a poor guide for some cultivars. Harvest maturity and eating ripeness are different: a mature but firm fruit may ripen successfully after picking. Describe the actual condition of the fruit when comparing flavors or storage results, because a cultivar sampled too early can give a misleading impression.