Shelf Life Enhancement and Phytochemical Stability of Mango Stored Under On‐Farm Earth Air Heat Exchanger Cum Evaporative Cool System

An Earth Air Heat Exchanger cum Evaporative Cool System (EAHE‐ECS) was developed and evaluated for short‐term mango storage. During storage, the ambient temperature ranged between 27°C and 44°C, while the EAHE‐ECS maintained a lower temperature of 22°C–23°C, indicating its effectiveness. Mangoes were assessed at 3‐day intervals under room and EAHE‐ECS conditions for physicochemical and phytochemical characteristics. Results revealed that weight loss, total soluble solids, pH, carotenoid, and antioxidant content increased progressively in both conditions, but the increments were lower in EAHE‐ECS. Specifically, weight loss ranged from 9.82% to 38.12% at room temperature compared to 3.83%–8.67% in EAHE‐ECS. The total soluble solids rose to 19.44°Brix under room conditions and 16.56°Brix in EAHE‐ECS. In contrast, firmness, hue angle, titratable acidity, ascorbic acid, and total phenolic content declined during storage, though the reduction was slower in EAHE‐ECS. For instance, firmness decreased to 2.90 N at room temperature but, it was 13.21 N in EAHE‐ECS by the end of the storage period. Overall, EAHE‐ECS significantly extended mango shelf life up to 12 days, compared to only 3–4 days under ambient storage. The study highlights EAHE‐ECS as a cost‐effective and sustainable technology with strong potential for reducing postharvest losses of mango and other horticultural produce in India.