Bush mango (Irvingia species): Genetic diversity, postharvest quality attributes, phytochemical contents, and nutritional value relevant to utilization for food, human health, and other industrial applications – a comprehensive review

Bush mango belongs to the genus Irvingia and comprises two species: Irvingia gabonensis and Irvingia wombulu . It is a multipurpose fruit tree found in tropical Africa. The aim of this review is to provide up-to-date and comprehensive knowledge on the quality attributes and nutritional value of bush mango, as well as the different agro-processing, postharvest handling, and medicinal applications. Bush mango fruit pulp and the seed were found to have high nutritional values, making them a very important dietary source. Moreover, different parts of the bush mango find application in the treatment of various diseases. Bush mango is useful for fresh consumption and can be processed into Ogbono for soup making, juice, wine, or jams, or used as a flavoring agent. Furthermore, the utilization of various genetic markers in unraveling genetic variability in Irvingia species was described. This review enhances our knowledge on the economic importance, quality attributes, nutritional content, agro-processing, and current health applications of bush mango, which has provided good insight regarding the great potentials encapsulated in the tropical fruit “bush mango” and how it can be further explored for maximum benefit. Food safety issues are highlighted, including the health benefits of consuming production from both the tree and fruit fractions.