Sap burn is peel injury caused when sap from a cut mango stem contacts the fruit surface. It can leave dark marks that reduce appearance even when the underlying fruit is not initially rotten. Sap may also irritate sensitive skin, so handling methods should protect both fruit and workers. Careful picking, avoiding uncontrolled sap drips, and a suitable de-sapping procedure help reduce injury. Do not confuse a sap stain with a confirmed fungal lesion without examining how the mark developed.
Post-harvest handling covers the steps between picking fruit and its final use, including moving, sorting, cleaning, packing, ripening, and storage. Mangoes can suffer sap burn, bruising, temperature injury, and decay during this period even when they looked sound on the tree. Gentle handling, clean equipment, and conditions suited to maturity help preserve quality. Trace the whole sequence when investigating losses rather than assuming every defect began in the orchard or can be corrected by a later treatment.