Abstract: A method of handling mangoes includes exposing the mangoes to an atmosphere that contains one or more cyclopropene compounds, and containing the mangoes in a modified-atmosphere package. The method provides an unexpected improvement in maintaining the optimum ripeness of the mangoes over what would be expected based upon the effects observed when either exposing the mangoes to the cyclopropene compound or containing the mangoes in a modified-atmosphere package in the absence of the other.

Abstract: The present invention comprises a new class of 2,3,4-tri-O-acylhexoses and mixtures thereof. Members of the new class of compounds are comprised of a hexose sugar having fatty acids attached at the 2, 3 and 4 positions of the hexose moiety. The fatty acids can be saturated or unsaturated, and can have a relative molecular size of up to C.sub.30. When at least one of the acylating fatty acid groups on the hexose molecule contains more than 7 carbons, the resulting 2,3,4-tri-O-acylhexoses (or mixtures thereof) have a non-bitter taste. On the other hand, when none of the acylating fatty acids have more than 7 carbons, the resulting 2,3,4-tri-O-acylhexoses (and mixtures that contain them) are bitter when tasted.The new 2,3,4-tri-O-acylhexoses can be synthesized using known chemical methods. Alternatively, the new compounds, and especially mixtures thereof, are obtained as the result of selective extraction and purification of the epicuticular exudate from Lycopersicon pennellii plant parts.