If a mango has turned completely brown inside, it is usually due to storage, or more precisely to the storage temperature. Mangoes don't like it cold, then they turn brown and unfortunately quickly become tasteless and bland.
Why is my mango brown inside?
Mangoes turn brown on the inside if they are stored too cold, for example during transport in refrigerated containers or in the refrigerator. Brown spots can be cut out if the mango still tastes good. To avoid this, do not store mangoes in the refrigerator and instead buy ripe flying mangoes.
The brown discoloration can occur during transport because the mangoes, which are often harvested unripe, are brought to Europe by ship in refrigerated containers, but also in your own refrigerator if a mango is stored there for a longer period of time. The end result is the same.
Reasons for brown pulp:
- unripe harvest
- wrong transport temperature
- storage too cold
Can you still eat mangoes with brown flesh?
As long as the mango still tastes good, you can basically eat it. However, since mangoes need a ripening temperature of around 20 - 25 °C to develop their full flavor, a mango that has been "emergency-ripened" in the refrigerator will never really taste good.
On the other hand, if the mango has only been in the fridge for a few hours and only has a few brown spots, perhaps around the core, then you can safely cut them out and enjoy the rest of the mango. If you have purchased a larger quantity of ripe mangoes than you can use in a short period of time, we recommend freezing rather than storing them in the refrigerator.
How do you keep a mango from turning brown?
It is best to buy a mango that was harvested ripe and only had a short transport time. Such fruits are often offered as so-called flying mangoes. Since they obviously don't last as long as unripe mangoes and the flight costs more money than a ship passage, these mangoes are usually a little more expensive. But the expense is worth it.
If possible, do not store your mangoes in the refrigerator, because the brown color is a cold damage. You can only put a fully ripe mango in the refrigerator for a short time, for example because you want to enjoy it cold. However, the taste develops much better with fruit that is at room temperature.
Tips & Tricks
Don't store your mango in the fridge, then it won't brown as quickly on the inside and tastes much better.
