Solar Drying of Mangoes: Opportunities for Combating Vitamin A Deficiency in Sub-Saharan Africa.

ABSTRACT: Vitamin A deficiency (VAD) remains a severe health issue in sub-Saharan Africa, causing blindness, illness, and child mortality. In Mozambique, about 69% of children under five are affected, highlighting the short-term impact and donor dependence of supplementation programs. Mangoes (Mangifera indica L.), rich in provitamin A carotenoids, offer a sustainable, food-based strategy to reduce VAD, but their high perishability and postharvest losses of 20-40% limit their impact. This review combined analysis of 21 studies on solar drying of mangoes in Africa with interviews from health directors in three districts of Inhambane Province, Mozambique, to assess both technical and practical aspects of mango utilization. Findings show that improved solar dryers reduce drying time by up to 40

SUBMITTER: Viola Salvador P 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12652506 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature