There’s something irresistible about dried mango. That sweet, chewy, and intensely fruity snack is a world away from the fresh, juicy mango on the tree. But have you ever wondered how that bright, golden strip ends up in a sealed bag on your supermarket shelf? The journey from a fresh mango to a shelf-stable treat is a fascinating blend of nature and modern food technology.

Let’s peel back the curtain and walk through the step-by-step process of how dried mango is made in a factory.

Step 1: The Selection of the Perfect Mango

It all starts with quality. Factories typically use specific varieties of mangoes that are known for their sweetness, firm flesh, and low fiber content—like the Alfonso, Kent, or Tommy Atkins. The mangoes are harvested at their peak ripeness, ensuring the best natural sugar content. Upon arrival at the factory, they undergo a rigorous inspection. Any bruised, underripe, or overripe fruits are sorted out. Only the best make the cut.

Step 2: Washing and Peeling

The selected mangoes are thoroughly washed in food-grade sanitizing solutions to remove any dirt, pesticides, or microbes. Cleanliness is paramount. Next, they move to the peeling stage. In large-scale operations, this is often done mechanically with abrasive peelers or steam, although some high-end products may still be hand-peeled to minimize waste and preserve the flesh.

Step 3: Slicing and Pitting

The peeled mangoes then have their large, flat pits removed. De-pitting machines efficiently slice the fruit away from the pit. The flesh is then uniformly sliced into strips, cubes, or chunks. Consistency in size is crucial for the next stage: drying. If every piece is the same thickness, they will dry at the same rate.

Step 4: The Pre-Treatment

This is a critical step you might not know about. Fresh mango flesh begins to turn brown when exposed to air (oxidization), much like an apple. To prevent this and preserve that appealing golden color, the mango slices are often dipped or sprayed with a pre-treatment solution. This is usually a light concentration of citric acid (from citrus) or ascorbic acid (Vitamin C), which are natural anti-oxidants. Sometimes, a small amount of potassium metabisulfite is used, which also acts as a preservative. This is why you’ll often see “sulfites” on the ingredients list of many dried fruits.

Step 5: The Drying Process

Now for the main event: removing the water. Factories use massive chambers called tunnel dryers or cabinet dryers. The mango slices are spread on trays which are then rolled into these dryers.

The drying doesn’t use high heat, which would cook the fruit. Instead, it uses a steady flow of warm air (typically around 60-70°C or 140-160°F) for several hours. This gentle, controlled process slowly evaporates the moisture content from about 85% in a fresh mango down to below 20%. This low moisture level is what prevents spoilage and gives the mango its characteristic chewy texture.

Step 6: Conditioning and Cooling

Once out of the dryer, the mango pieces need to stabilize. They are left to “condition” in a controlled environment. This allows the remaining minimal moisture to distribute evenly throughout each piece, ensuring a consistent texture—no hard, dry spots or sticky, wet centers.

Step 7: Inspection and Packaging

The cooled dried mango goes through a final quality check before being weighed and packaged. The packaging is vital: it’s done in airtight, often nitrogen-flushed bags. Flushing the bag with nitrogen (an inert gas) removes oxygen, which further prevents oxidation and microbial growth, significantly extending the product’s shelf life without needing artificial preservatives.

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