There is no single correct Brix level for mango pulp. The right figure depends on the variety, whether the pulp is natural, sweetened or concentrated, and what you will make with it.
For illustration, natural Alphonso and Kesar pulp is often traded with a minimum Brix somewhere in the mid teens, while Totapuri is usually lower. Concentrated and sweetened pulps sit well above that. Agree a minimum figure and a test method in the contract rather than relying on a general expectation.
What Brix measures
Brix is the percentage of soluble solids in a liquid, measured with a refractometer. In mango pulp, most soluble solids are natural sugars, with smaller amounts of acids and other compounds. Higher Brix usually means sweeter, riper fruit or added sugar.
Refractometer readings change with temperature, so labs read at a reference temperature or correct for it. Some buyers also ask for the reading to be corrected for acidity. State which basis you want on the specification.
What moves the Brix level
- Variety: Alphonso and Kesar are naturally sweeter than Totapuri.
- Ripeness: fully ripe fruit gives higher Brix. Unripe fruit gives low Brix and high acidity.
- Season and weather: rain near harvest can dilute fruit sugars, and late-season fruit can differ from early fruit.
- Added sugar: sweetened pulp has a higher Brix by design.
- Concentration: evaporating water raises the Brix, and the pulp is diluted back at your end.
Brix alone is not enough
A pulp can meet a Brix minimum and still taste flat or sour. Acidity, usually expressed as citric acid, and the ratio of Brix to acid give a better picture of flavour. pH matters for processing and food safety. Colour, consistency and black specks matter for appearance.
Brix is also the easiest figure to push up. Undeclared sugar raises Brix without improving fruit content. If you buy natural pulp, ask for a sugar profile test or other authenticity checks where your product claims depend on it. The wider topic is covered in how to check for added colour or sugar in fruit products.
Setting the figure in your specification
- State the variety and whether the pulp is natural, sweetened or concentrated.
- Give a minimum Brix, not a single exact number, and the measuring basis.
- Add acidity and pH ranges that suit your recipe.
- Ask for Brix on every lot's certificate of analysis, and have an independent lab check a sample.
- If you sell juices or nectars, check the reference Brix values your market applies. The Codex general standard for fruit juices and nectars is one reference, and national rules may differ.
Your own product's needs should drive the figure. A yoghurt maker blending pulp into a sweetened base needs a different specification from a juice packer selling a not-from-concentrate claim. The general approach is set out in how to write a good specification for an agri product.
How we help
We help you set Brix, acidity and pH limits that suit your product and the variety you buy. We have each lot sampled and tested at NABL-accredited labs before shipment and compare the results with the factory's certificate. Start with a free sourcing review.