Proximate composition and consumer preferences of different types of Mangifera indica (Mango)

In the present scenario, Malaysia is facing a serious apprehension about the inclining value (RM) of import quantity of mango (Mangifera indica). Even though its production in this country is increasing, the importation of mango especially from Thailand had also been rising over the past years. In this country, people consume the fruit because of its nutrition and sensory properties. However, the sensory Properties of mango are subjective and aproper evaluation to determine the parameters is required. Proximate analysis is useful in understanding the fruit nutritional value and food labeling requirement. Physiologically full mature fruits of three local mangoes and one imported mango from Thailand are picked and subjected to proximate analysis and sensory evaluation. This study thus compares three local and one imported mango in terms of proximate composition and consumer preferences. The proximate analysis was conducted to determine the amount of moisture, ash, crude protein, crude fat, crude fibre, carbohydrate and gross energy. A questionnaire survey of consumer preferences in terms of taste, aroma, and appearance of mango was employed for data collection. Data were collected from 50 respondents. Reliability test and descriptive analysis were used to analyse the data. One-way ANOVA followed by Tukey post-hoc multiple comparison test was conducted to further determine the significant difference among the overall means of the results at (P<0.05) for both proximate analysis and sensory evaluation.For proximate analysis of the mango, the result showed there was no significant difference for moisture content (P>0.05). However, there were distinctive differences in the amount of ash, crude protein, crude fat, crude fibre, carbohydrate and gross energy (P<0.05). As the crude fat content in Harumanis (PAS) was the highest, it had also the highest gross energy content in the fruit. For consumer preferences, Harumanis (JPP) was the most preferable in term of taste with overall mean at 4.07±0.17. For aroma, Chok Anan was the most preferable but no significant differences (P>0.05) with other mangoes. With no distinctive differences for the overall mean values, the results had also shown respondents have agreed that all mangoes have good appearance. Both Harumanis (JPP) and Harumanis (PAS) from Perlis, Malaysia contained the highest amount of nutritional values especially on fibre, carbohydrate, fat, protein, and gross energy. The local varieties have good sensory qualities when compared to the imported mango (Chok Anan). Among the two Harumanis mangoes, Harumanis (JPP) mango variety is recommended to have the most balanced quality based on its nutritional value and good taste. From the data, nutritional and man were not the contributing factors for the increase in the sensory qualities of the local m g importation of mango. Perhaps, other factors such as mango production, availability and consumer actors. It is recommended to conduct a marketability survey to accessibility are the contributing to further explore the issue.