Development and quality evaluation of a solar dried mango leather

Mango is a vital\r\ntropical and subtropical fruit crop with high water content, approximately 87%.\r\nMango leather, a traditional and highly valued product, is prepared from\r\nripened Banganapalli mango pulp through solar drying. At Aditya University, a\r\ndirect solar drying method was employed to develop high-quality mango leather\r\nwhile maintaining its nutritive value and sensory attributes. The drying\r\nprocess aimed to reduce the moisture content of mango pulp from an initial 87%\r\nto 12-20%, thereby inhibiting microbial growth and ensuring product\r\npreservation. The mango pulp was dried at temperatures ranging from 49 °C to 65\r\n°C over a period of 14 to 16 hours, resulting in a final moisture content of\r\n18-20%. The drying approach ensured that the mango pulp was not directly\r\nexposed to sunlight, which helped retain the inherent flavour and nutritional\r\nquality. The processed mango leather exhibited desirable texture, colour, and\r\nshelf stability, making it suitable for long-term storage. This study\r\ndemonstrates the efficacy of direct solar drying in producing high-quality\r\nmango leather while maintaining its sensory and nutritional properties.