TOTAL CAROTENOID CONTENT IN SOME MANGO (MANGIFERA INDICA) VARIETIES OF BANGLADESH

The present study investigated total carotenoid content of twelve mango varieties of Bangladesh. Change in the total carotenoid content at various stages of maturity was also determined. Carotenoids are bioactive substances in food with powerful antioxidant activity. It has role in enhancement of the immune response and reduction of the risk of degenerative diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular diseases, cataract and macular degeneration. Mango is the leading seasonal cash crop of the northwestern region of Bangladesh. The mango (Mangifera indica) (Bangla- aam) is the king of fruits in Bangladesh. It’s a fleshy stone fruit. Mango is generally very sweat and tasty common fruits in Bangladesh. It’s also one of the most popular fruits in the world. Total carotenoid content in twelve mango varieties was analyzed by solvent extraction method followed by spectrophotometric method. Mangoes contain different amount of total carotenoid in green, semi-ripe and ripe stages. Carotenoid content in green mango was 3.09 μg/100m while that of semi-ripe mango was 70.875 μg/100gm and ripe mango was 251.74 μg/100gm. Among the mango varieties AamRupali contains the highest amount of carotenoid which is about 444.66 μg/100gm. Kali Bhog and Lakshmon Bhog contain 352.41 μg/100gm and 345.09 μg/100gm carotenoid respectively. Surmi Fazli contains the lowest amount of carotenoid which is about 94.22 μg/100gm.