If you receive a bad mango, set the fruit aside, note your order number and report the problem to the seller within 24 hours of delivery. At AlphonsoMango.in, write to support@alphonsomango.in. First check whether it is damage or normal ripening, because the two look different.
What to do first when a mango looks bad
It is disappointing to wait for a box of Alphonso and find a fruit that is soft, split or sour. Before you do anything else, stop and sort the box. Take every fruit out and lay it in a single layer on a clean surface. Look at each one, smell it and press it gently. Put the doubtful ones to one side so that a bad fruit does not touch the good ones.
Then do three things. Note your order number. Make a short list of what you see on which fruit. And decide whether this is damage or the normal ripening of a naturally ripened mango, because a mango in the middle of ripening can look odd without being bad. The next section helps you tell the two apart.
Normal ripening or a bad mango?
A mango that is ripening by itself is not a uniform product. Skin colour can be uneven, with green, gold and a blush on the same fruit. Small dark dots on the skin, called lenticels, are normal. A few fruit in a dozen may be a day or two behind the others. None of this is damage.
| What you see | Usually means | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Uneven colour, green patches, dark dots | Normal ripening | Leave at room temperature |
| Firm and sour | Not yet ripe | Wait a few days at room temperature |
| Very soft, mushy, sweet or fermented smell | Overripe | Use at once for pulp or a shake, or discard if the smell is sour |
| Flattened, black or leaking patch | Bruise or impact | Cut away if the rest is sound; report if many fruit are affected |
| Fuzzy mould or a sharp fermented smell | Spoiled | Discard; report it |
| Grainy, jelly-like or pale flesh inside | Spongy tissue | Discard that fruit; read the note below |
Spongy tissue is a real fruit disorder in Alphonso. It cannot be seen from outside. ICAR-IIHR research traced it to the seed shifting into germination mode at about 60% fruit maturity. You find it only when you cut the fruit. Our page on spongy tissue in Alphonso mangoes explains it in more detail.
Why a mango can arrive bad
Mango is a soft, perishable fruit, and an online order is a long journey for it. These are the usual reasons.
- Impact in transit. A knock leaves a bruise, and a bruised Alphonso shows it within hours as a soft or dark patch at the point of impact.
- Heat and delay. A parcel left in a hot hall or a delivery van can send fruit past ripe in a day.
- Missed delivery. If nobody is home to receive the box, the fruit sits and ripens in a sealed carton.
- Storage after delivery. Leaving the fruit sealed in the box, stacking it or putting unripe fruit in the fridge all spoil it.
- Internal disorders. Spongy tissue and similar problems exist in the fruit and cannot be seen on the outside.
Some of these are in our hands and some are not. We pack for transit, but we do not control a courier's van or your doorstep. That is why we ask you to check the box quickly and say something within 24 hours.
What to do with the fruit
Not every soft mango is a loss. Use judgement and food safety together. If the flesh smells sweet and the damaged area is small, cut the bad part away with a generous margin and use the rest. A very soft but sound fruit is good for pulp. Our guides on aamras, mango lassi and storing mangoes help you use it quickly.
If a fruit has mould, a sour or alcoholic smell, or flesh that looks wet and discoloured through the fruit, throw it away. When in doubt, throw it out. If anyone at home has a health condition, a young child or is pregnant, be stricter, and ask your doctor if you are unsure. This page gives general food advice only.
How to report a problem to us
Report damage within 24 hours of delivery. Write to support@alphonsomango.in and give your order number, the name on the order, the number of fruit affected and a short description of what you see. The sooner you write, the easier it is for us to look into what happened. Our general terms are on the Return policy page, and our contact page lists how to reach us.
We cannot say in advance what will be done for each case, because it depends on what happened, and we will not make a promise on this page that we cannot keep for every order. What we can say is that we want to hear about it and that the 24-hour window is there so the facts are fresh.
How to avoid a bad mango when you order online
- Check the PIN code. We dispatch by Blue Dart, and about 65% of Indian PIN codes get next-day delivery. Check your PIN code at checkout.
- Be there to receive the box, or ask someone to take it in. A mango should not sit outside.
- Unpack the same hour if you can. Lay the fruit out and sort it.
- Ripen at room temperature and refrigerate only fully ripe fruit. See our ripening guide and our note on how long a mango takes to ripen.
- Order in season. Fresh Alphonso is harvested from about February to June, with the best supply from March to May. The 2027 season opens on 1 February 2027.
- Ask the seller questions about region, ripening and how to report damage before you pay.
What we do on our side
Our fruit is sourced across 48 villages of the Ratnagiri and Devgad belt on the Konkan coast, and it is hand-harvested with a zela pole fitted with a catching net in the pre-dawn hours. We do not use carbide. Our Alphonso mangoes are ripened naturally on hay beds. Carbide ripening is prohibited in India under Regulation 2.3.5 of the Food Safety and Standards (Prohibition and Restrictions on Sales) Regulations, 2011. We hold GI Authorised User certificate AU/5974/GI/139/260 (GI No. 139), and we are an FSSAI-licensed seller. We dispatch by Blue Dart.
I started this business with offline sales in 2019, and we have sold online since 2020 and served 47,000+ customers, including offline and marketplace sales. A mango that arrives bad is a real failure for the person who waited for it, and I would rather you wrote to us quickly than silently decided never to order again. If you want to try again, you can choose a smaller first order from the Ratnagiri Alphonso page or the Devgad Alphonso page. The Alphonso Mango Pulp Tin is a lower-risk option because it is a sealed pack that is available all year. See our Brand Facts page for the details of who we are.
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People also ask
What should I do if I receive a bad mango?
Set the bad fruit aside, lay the rest in a single layer and note your order number. Then write to the seller within 24 hours of delivery. For AlphonsoMango.in, email support@alphonsomango.in with your order number and a short description. First check whether the fruit is simply ripening unevenly.
How do I know if a mango is rotten?
A rotten mango has fuzzy mould, a sharp sour or alcohol-like smell, or wet, discoloured flesh. A mango that is only soft and smells sweet is ripe or overripe and can often be used for pulp. Dark dots and patchy colour on the skin are normal. When in doubt, throw it out.
Can I eat a mango that has a black spot?
A small dark spot on the skin is often a bruise or a lenticel and is not a problem. If the flesh under it smells sweet and looks sound, cut away a generous margin and eat the rest. If the spot is large, soft, leaking or smells sour, discard the fruit.
How long do I have to report a damaged mango?
Report damage within 24 hours of delivery. At AlphonsoMango.in, write to support@alphonsomango.in with your order number, how many fruit are affected and what you see. Open the box and sort the fruit as soon as it arrives, so you can report inside that window.
Related searches
- What is spongy tissue in Alphonso mangoes
- A guide to storing mangoes
- Alphonso mango ripening guide
- How to ripen Alphonso mangoes at home
- Dos and don'ts of ordering Alphonso online
- How mango delivery works
- Aamras recipe
- Alphonso Mango Pulp Tin
Sources and further reading
- Food Safety and Standards Authority of India, Food Safety and Standards (Prohibition and Restrictions on Sales) Regulations, 2011, Regulation 2.3.5 (compendium version of 2 April 2025), accessed October 2026.
- Wikipedia, Mango, accessed October 2026.
- Wikipedia, Alphonso mango, accessed October 2026.
Written by Prashant Powle, founder of AlphonsoMango.in. Last reviewed October 2026.