The present work was objectified in the physic-chemical characterization of mangoes cv. Tommy Atkins and Haden, submitted to the control of ethylene action, trough the exposition of fruits of the ethylene's absorption system. The fruits harvested in the nature green stage, had been packed in low density polyethylene films (LDPE) of 0,006 mm of thickness, with or without and ethylene's absorption system, conditioned in cardboard packing (0,65 x 0,52 m), without the control of the temperature and the relative humidity (30 ± 3 ºC and 70 ± 5 % of R. H.). The treatments had been constituted in this way: T1 - mangoes cv. Tommy Atkins, with ethylene's absorption system; T2 - mangoes cv. Tommy Atkins, without ethylene's absorption system; T3 - mangoes cv. Haden, with ethylene's absorption system e, T4 - mangoes cv. Haden, without ethylene's absorption system The analysis of pulp firmness, soluble solids (SS), titratable acidity (TA), pH, ascorbic acid and ethylene's concentration in the packing were made in the installation of the experiment (day 0) and to the 7, 14, 21, 28 and 35 days and, to the 35 days, it was carried out a preference test. In the end, it was observed, in both cultivars, the lesser concentration of ethylene in the packing, the biggest pulp firmness, the biggest containment in the advance and the reduction of SS and TA, respectively, as well as the best maintenance of ascorbic acid contents, had been detected in the fruits conditioned packed contending the ethylene's adsorption system. Significant variations in the values of pH had not been detected. Also, in the preference test, the fruits conditioned under the action of the ethylene's adsorption system had been the preferred ones on the part of the judges.
Mangifera indica L.; shelf-life; quality; conservation
