In the southwest of Guatemala, Gold Label embarked on an ambitious journey to revolutionize their mango dehydration process. Faced with challenges such as short shelf life and undesirable colour changes, they sought to enhance their methods to produce top-quality dried mangoes that could meet international standards.
In January, José Luis Rueda Calvet, Gold Label’s general manager, contacted SEC to optimize drying curves, evaluate pre-treatment processes, and assess packaging materials and storage conditions to ensure a shelf life of at least one year. Together with a food technologist from SEC’s pool of experts, they started to tackle the different tasks.
SEC contacted the experienced food technologist and newly registered SEC expert Gerrit ten Broeke. With vast experience in fruit and vegetable processing, Gerrit was highly motivated to travel to Guatemala for this assignment.
Once Gerrit arrived, he started analysing the different drying curves from several mango varieties and optimized them until they reached the optimum temperature-time combination for a good quality product in terms of flavour, taste, texture, and shelf life. This process wasn’t as smooth as one could expect: One of the oven pumps made it difficult to reduce drying time. Only when the provider – through the assistance of the SEC expert – was able to understand the Gold Label team’s needs, the issue could be solved.
In a further step, they examined the pre-treatment of the fruit before drying, deciding to introduce citric acid to inactivate the enzymes, which helps prevent the browning of the mango. Once the ideal method was identified, they defined practical instructions and standardized processes. Process and quality control supervisor Milena Chocano from Gold Label mentions that Gerrit also provided a comprehensive overview of the European market preferences, helping Gold Label to tailor their product to meet these standards.
In a second step, the Gold Label team, together with the SEC expert, tried to increase the shelf life of the dried mango. To do so, they considered the impact of packaging materials and storage conditions.
Achievements and Innovations
Throughout the assignment, the Gold Label employees and Gerrit made remarkable strides. They successfully dehydrated mangoes, achieving excellent flavour, vibrant colour, and delightful aroma. They developed precise drying curves for the Tommy Atkins variety, ensuring consistent and superior quality. Under the guidance of the SEC expert, a practical Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) was created, standardizing the dehydration process and ensuring repeatable success. The technical performance of the dryer was significantly improved, doubling its capacity from 50% to 100%. Additionally, valuable recommendations on packaging materials and storage conditions were provided by Gerrit, which are crucial for maintaining product quality.
Milena Chocano says that all these enhancements have improved their product quality but also boosted their confidence.
Future Goals
Despite these impressive achievements, some objectives remain on the horizon. Further verification of the shelf life is needed. Accelerated tests will be conducted by a specialized laboratory in Guatemala to ensure the mangoes remain fresh and safe for at least one year. Additional evaluation of packaging materials is required to guarantee the desired shelf life is achieved.
About the client
Gold Label is a beacon of innovation within Mayalatex, a prominent balloon producer based in Retalhuleu, Guatemala. Under the leadership of CEO Mr. Jose Luis Rueda and General Manager Jose David, the company operates two lush mango plantations spanning 44 hectares, with 4,500 trees of Kent, Tommy Atkins, and Ataulfo varieties. Annually, they produce approximately 500,000 kg of mangoes.
Historically, Gold Label exported fresh mangoes to Europe. However, due to rising freight costs and fierce competition from Brazil, they pivoted to dehydration. Investing in a state-of-the-art dryer from China, they began processing but faced initial hurdles.
“The expert’s advice was crucial in understanding many aspects of the dry mango process. Gerrit recommended different procedures to improve our quality, significantly impacting our production methods and final product.” (Milena Chocano, process and quality control supervisor, Gold Label)
Interview with SEC expert Gerrit ten Broeke
How would you rate the results achieved in general?
I would rate the results achieved at 8.5 on a scale of 10.
We improved the technical state of the dryer to 100% capacity, which was a significant step. However, we could not execute tests at full load. We started at the beginning of the harvest season, and only the Tommy Atkins variety was available in limited amounts. Fortunately, the results (30-50 kg per batch) provided us with enough information and confidence to continue finding the right process parameters.
What impressed you most about this consultancy assignment?
The client demonstrated a very professional approach: eager to learn, with excellent cooperation skills, investment power, and the ability to make quick decisions.
Did you reach your limits during the consultancy assignment?
Not at all, but because I lost two days staying in the hospital, we faced some time pressure toward the end. I worked until noon on the final Saturday and was then taken directly to the airport.
What surprised you or what did not work as expected?
I was surprised by the client’s level of entrepreneurship. They had extensive experience in growing and exporting fresh mangoes but decided to venture into dehydration. They purchased a drying machine from China without any technological knowledge and with a limited market perspective.
How would you rate the client’s situation after the SEC assignment?
I would rate the client’s situation after the consultancy at 9 on a scale of 10.
Gold Label staff developed a good understanding of the process in all aspects: processing, packaging, storage, and international specifications. To check the moisture content, they bought a water activity meter to get quick results during processing. Because of this, they can correct and modify the process in real-time. Gold Label gained confidence in dehydrating and is considering starting to dry other fruits like pineapple and banana.
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