Mamey Sapote from Florida¹

A. R. Rafie, Jonathan Crane, Carlos Balerdi, and Steven Sargent²

Description

Mamey sapote is also known as mamey Colorado and is originally from the lowlands of Mexico and Central America. The fruit is highly appreciated by people from Caribbean and Central America. There are two main commercial varieties grown in Florida; Magaña (2- to 4-lb fruit, with elliptic shape and slightly pointed end) and Pantin (smaller size, oval shape and 1- to 2-lbs). The fruit skin is rough and dark-brown, the flesh is orange to deep-red, sweet, creamy, and has a cherry-almond-like flavor. The fruit is high in vitamin A and it is considered a good source of potassium.

Packing for Shipment

Fruit must be harvested when completely mature. Before harvest, every fruit must be checked for the right stage of maturity. Make a small scratch in the skin using a sharp knife. The fruit is considered mature only if the exposed pulp is orange or red. If it is green, the fruit is immature and should be left on the tree until ripe. Fruit picked immature will fail to soften, their pulp will turn dark brown and will be inedible. Some growers brush and clean the skin to remove possible scales and trim the peduncle to improve fruit appearance. Application of a fruit wax reduces water loss and helps Magaña mamey fruit to

Figure 1.

Mamey sapote

soften more uniformly during handling and shipping. Mamey fruit is usually packed in 25- or 50-lb Boxes

Supply

For the Magaña variety, heavy production is in April-May, and for Pantin it is in July-August, with lighter supply in March and September.

Table 1.

Seasonal availability of mamey sapote from Florida.

Month	Supply
January	-
February	-
March	Light
April	Heavy
May	Heavy
June	Heavy
July	Heavy
August	Heavy
September	Light
October	-
November	-
December	-

Postharvest Life

Mamey is considered a perishable fruit. Mature fruit can be stored in a cooler at no lower than 55^oF with 85-95% relative humidity for several days before shipping to its final destination. It is also transported at 55^oF. Storage at lower temperatures may result in off-flavors. When placed at room temperature, mamey fruit ripens in 3 to 5 days. Mamey fruit produce large amounts of ethylene (a natural plant hormone) and should be stored separated from ethylene-sensitive commodities.

Preparation

Mamey may be eaten fresh directly in slices by cutting it lengthwise and removing the seed. It can also be eaten in preparations with other ingredients to make milkshakes or ice cream. It is also excellent for use in jellies, pastes and conserves. Mamey flambé is very popular among chefs in south Florida.

Footnotes

This document is HS1103, one of a series of the Horticultural Sciences Department, Florida Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida. Original publication date June, 2007. Visit the EDIS Web Site at http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu.

A. R. Rafie, Extension Agent, Miami-Dade County South Extension Office, Homestead, FL; Jonathan Crane, Professor, Department of Horticultural Sciences, Tropical Research and Education Center, Homestead, FL; Carlos Balerdi, Extension Agent, Miami-Dade County South Extension Office, Homestead, FL; Steven A. Sargent, Professor, Horticultural Sciences Department

The Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS) is an Equal Opportunity Institution authorized to provide research, educational information and other services only to individuals and institutions that function with non-discrimination with respect to race, creed, color, religion, age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, national origin, political opinions or affiliations. For more information on obtaining other extension publications, contact your county Cooperative Extension service.

U.S. Department of Agriculture, Cooperative Extension Service, University of Florida, IFAS, Florida A. & M. University Cooperative Extension Program, and Boards of County Commissioners Cooperating. Millie Ferrer-Chancy, Interim Dean.

Mamey Sapote from Florida1