How long do Mangoes last? Tips to keep them fresh

With 300 species of Mango available, you may be feeling confused about this delicious fruit. However, the Mangoes you eat are likely to be hybrids of varieties that have a better shelf life and that are not attacked by insects while growing. But how can you extend the life of a Mango?

Did you know that many organic Mangoes are wrapped in newspaper while growing and maturing? This prevents insects and birds from chowing down on the fruit. Mangoes are full of vitamins, but now many people know how fantastic the leaves of the Mango tree are. They are very effective at reducing insulin sensitivity.

It seems impossible to buy a lot of Mangoes. The shelf life is too short. Can it be extended? In the article, we delve into Mangoes and give you an insight into how to preserve Mangoes for more than a day or two. We answer many frequently asked questions, providing factual knowledge to improve your culinary skills.

Let’s jump in

Do Mangoes expire?

Yes, but they expire at different rates, and you can keep them fresh for longer.

The Mangoes you eat are green when harvested, and because mangoes produce ethylene gas, it doesn’t take long to ripen these fruits.

In fact, if you want your Mango ripe within a short space of time, just pop it in a paper bag, scrunch up the end and let it sit for 24 hours, and it will be ripe.

To extend the life of Mangoes, you can place them in the fridge, but you should use caution, the Mangoes may not become yellow and ripe looking, but the flesh will have become soft. This time your Mango is not sweet. It’s better like an unripe fruit.

There is a balance with Mangoes. It’s time to get in and out of the fridge so you can get sweet fruit.

Some Mangoes are meant to be eaten when they are hard. The Indian Mango is smaller than the typical Mango and has a longer shelf life, it is not as fragrant and is bitter while hard, but it makes a perfect accomplishment to salty spicy shrimp paste.

You will be pleased to read that the Mangoes can be frozen and last well in the freezer. However, if you have Mangoes or sliced Mangoes is also going to affect the shelf life of this versatile, delicious fruit.

The typical life of Mango is as follows:-

	Counter	Refrigerator	Freezer
Mango cut shelf life	5-8 Days	7-14 Days	10-12 Months
Mango cut shelf life	2-4 Hours	4-7 days	10-12 weeks
Mango puree shelf life	N/A	4 -7 days	12 months

However, the shelf life will depend on the freshness of the Mango and at what stage it was processed for extending the life of this tropical fruit.

If you compare the shelf life of Mangoes to other tropical fruits and even the likes of a banana, the shelf life is comparable, and in some cases, it is better than other fruits.

Does Mango need to be refrigerated?

It’s preferable to keep a whole Mango on the counter until you’re ready to cut it open. It can be put in the refrigerator after it is ripe.

Cut fruits should be kept in the refrigerator in an airtight container for longer shelf life. When Mangoes are past their best-by date, they will turn slimy to the touch.

If you have cooked with Mangoes and there are leftovers, the leftovers should be in the fridge. However, don’t expect the Mango to be the first food to expire. It will last until the first ingredient in the dish expires under normal; circumstances.

Do Mangoes need to be covered?

Mangoes sitting in the fruit bowl are not required to be covered; when they are ripe, they are typically devoured. 

Whole Mangoes in the fridge do not need to be covered but keep in mind the ethylene gas being emitted will make other fruits stored in the fridge, like strawberries, ripen faster, so you may want to cover the Mango for this reason.

Cut Mangoes should be placed in an airtight container and placed in the fridge.

Can you put warm mangoes in the fridge?

Mangoes are used in many dishes for cooking, from cakes to ice creams, and even savory dishes like curry to add that unexpected taste.  Maybe you have warm Mango on the leftovers of your lamb curry dinner. So can it be placed in the fridge while warm?

The answer is no, and it is not just about Mango. It’s about the meal containing Mango, from soups to family meals. Placing warm food in the fridge is a bad idea.

If you read online that you can’t put a warm Mango cake in the fridge because of condensation coalescing into water droplets that will drip and make your Mango cake soggy and less appealing, you are being misled.

Your fridge temperature will be 40℉ -18℃ or a little lower. Placing a warm dessert in the fridge will elevate its temperature while it radiates heat.

Your fridge may not be as efficient as you might have thought at removing heat. Most fridges take hours to come to 40℉ after being switched on after cleaning.

So, what’s the big deal? The big deal is that food sitting at a temperature of 40-140℉ is in the food danger zone. It’s not just your warm dessert. It is the contents of the entire fridge.

Above 40℉-18℃ bacterial growth on perishable foods will accelerate exponentially. It should be discarded if the food remains at an elevated temperature above 40℉-18℃ for just two hours.

Seems harsh? According to the USDA, after two hours in the food danger zone, perishable foods contain enough bacteria to cause food poisoning.

How long can Mango sit out?

Whole Mangos can sit out for around five days, depending on how ripe they are when bought from the store. They are not in any danger from bacteria growth sitting at room temperature.

However, the sliced Mangos and Mangoes that have been cooked are different.

Mango can sit out independently and not be bothered by bacteria until it expires. But if you have a meal that includes Mango, then it’s a different subject, and Mango sitting out will have a life of two hours as part of a recipe.

Two hours. Remember the food danger zone? According to the USDA, perishable goods sitting out for two hours should be discarded, and the bacteria growth on the food has multiplied rapidly, making the food unfit for consumption.

Eating food sitting out for two hours or more could cause food poisoning.

This will only apply if Mango is part of the recipe.

How long does Mango last in the fridge?

A whole Mango in the fridge has a surprisingly long shelf life of around two weeks, but this will depend on how long the Mango was sitting in the grocery store or farmers market before being sold. It is reasonable to expect the shelf life in the fridge to be between 7  to 14 days.

Sliced Mango stored in an airtight container will have a shorter shelf life and will last for a maximum of 4 days in the fridge.

If you have a dish with cooked Mango, it’s normal for the Mango to last as long as the first ingredient in the dish expires, say a cream Mango cake; the cream will expire before the Mango.

Does frozen Mango go bad?

Technically frozen foods in general, including Mango, should have an indefinite shelf life in the freezer if stored continuously at 0℉ or below.

The truth is the Mango will last indefinitely, but the texture will eventually change, and the flavor of the Mango will expire. So it’s recommended that a whole Mango should be frozen for approximately 10 to 12 months before being eaten.

Mangos that have been cut and sliced have a shorter shelf life without the protection of the skin and last for approximately 10 to 12 weeks in the freezer.

How to freeze Mangos.

Whole Mango

• Wash the Mango and revolve any debris. Dry with a kitchen towel.
• Place the Mango in a Ziploc bag.
• Mark the Ziploc bag with the freezer’s freezing date and expected retrieval date.
• Place the Mango in the freezer.

Sliced Mango

• Slice or cube the Mango and place in a dish.
• Spoon the Mangos into a Ziploc bag. At this point, think of portion control to reduce waste.
• Remove as much air from the ziplock bag as possible and seal it tight.
• Mark the bag with the freezing date and expected retrieval date.
• Place the bag in the freezer.

Freezing Mango is straightforward. Sliced Mango can be slimy and difficult to handle, but once you get to grips with the slippery fruit, it’s easy to do.

Final thoughts

If you have avoided buying Mango, thinking it has a limited shelf life, you will be surprised at just how long this delicious fragrant fruit lasts in the fridge and freezer.

Storing Mango out in a fruit bowl is comparable to the life of a banana, so go ahead and start enjoying Mango the whole year round.