The Association Between the Flesh Colour and Carotenoid Profile of 25 Cultivars of Mangoes

Mango (<i>Mangifera indica</i> L.) cultivars display a wide range of ripe flesh colours, from deep-orange to pale-yellow, largely linked to differences in carotenoid profiles. This study examined the relationship between carotenoid profile and flesh colour across 25 mango cultivars. Flesh colour was measured using chroma (intensity) and hue angle (colour) and correlated with carotenoid content quantified using ultra-high performance liquid chromatography with diode-array detection (UHPLC-DAD). Chroma and hue angle displayed a second-order inverse polynomial relationship with chroma increasing as hue angle decreased. At lower hue angles, a wider range of chroma values was observed. Regression analysis showed that chroma correlated most strongly with total carotenoid concentration (TCC) (R² = 0.54), followed by total orange carotenoid concentration (R² = 0.47) and all-<i>trans</i> β-carotene concentration (R² = 0.45). Hue angle correlated most strongly with the total orange carotenoid concentration (R² = 0.76), then all-<i>trans</i> β-carotene concentration (R² = 0.73) and TCC (R² = 0.64). Interestingly, pale-yellow cultivars often exhibited low carotenoid concentrations, high titratable acidity and low soluble solids, suggesting incomplete ripening may also contribute to their pale colouration. These results provide insight into carotenoid-colour relationships and offer direction for phytochemical-based breeding programmes targeting mango flesh colour traits.