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Fermentation Atlas

Fruit from Philippines

Burong mangga and dalok (Filipino brined green mango)burong mangga

Burong mangga is freshly picked green mango, peeled and sliced, packed in jars under a weak salt brine and left for a few days while lactic acid bacteria sour it. A sweet form pours boiled and cooled sugar-salt water over salted mango. It is eaten as an appetiser or used in main dishes. Made in 3 steps over 3 days – 5 days. The longest step, ferment, takes 3–5 days (Sanchez P.C. 1999) and runs at 30 °C (Sanchez P.C. 1999). Salt is 3–4 % (Sanchez P.C. 1999). Lactobacillus plantarum, L. lactis and Leuconostoc mesenteroides does most of the fermenting.

Key numbers
Main step3–5 daysReported[sanchez1999]Ferment
Temperature30 °CReported[sanchez1999]Ferment
Salt3–4 %Reported[sanchez1999]Pack in jars and cover with brine
Fully documentedFruit3 days – 5 daysMore fruitMore from Philippines

Recipe

Amounts from a sourceThe brine strength is from a review of Philippine fermented foods; no source gives a fixed batch size.
Newly harvested green mango, peeled and sliced · Firm, unripe fruit; riper fruit gives a fruity smell instead of the green mango flavour[sanchez1999][fao134]
3–4 % sodium chloride solution, enough to coverSalt brine[sanchez1999]
To tasteSugar, water and chilli, boiled and cooled (sweet form)[wp-burong]
Starterspontaneous

Total time across the recorded steps: 3 days – 5 days

Start
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What changes: Firm green mangoes are peeled and sliced

Step 1 of 3
Peel and slice the green mangoes
Time
Not documented
Temperature
Not documented
Salt
None given
Acidity
Not documented
Which microbes the steps name, step by step
Lactic acid bacteria

Cut with stainless knives in single strokes, and avoid iron or copper.

Flavour
Not documented
Texture
Not documented
Colour
Not documented

Microbes at work in this step

Not documented for this step.

Method

Measured measured in a studySet fixed by a specification or tested recipeReported one source reports itTypical a general value, not sourced for this fermentUnconfirmed not yet checked against a source

What makes this one different

Burong mangga is a short, low-salt lactic pickle eaten within days. South Asian mango pickles are cured much longer with spices under oil, and the industrial mango brine stock FAO describes uses 20 % salt.

Related ferments

Variants

  • Sweet burong manggaSalted mango covered with boiled and cooled sugar-salt water, sometimes with chilli.
  • Industrial green mango brine stock (FAO)Slices soaked in 20 % brine with 1000 ppm sodium metabisulphite and 1 % calcium chloride until pickled, then drained, spiced and packed under oil.

Safety

Salt and the acid made by lactic bacteria hold back the aerobic bacteria present at the start, including Escherichia. FAO notes that the high acid of finished green mango pickle keeps the risk of food poisoning low.

Hazards the sources name: Escherichia (present at the start of vegetable and fruit fermentations, then inhibited).

History and sources

Every number is labelled with how it is known. How this atlas is made

FAO's 1998 survey of fermented fruits says green mango pickle is known as burong mangga and dalok in the Philippines.

  1. [sanchez1999] Sanchez P.C. 1999, Microorganisms and technology of Philippine fermented foods, Japanese Journal of Lactic Acid Bacteria 10(1):19–28, doi:10.4109/JSLAB1997.10.19paper
  2. [fao134] Battcock M., Azam-Ali S. 1998, Fermented fruits and vegetables, a global perspective, FAO Agricultural Services Bulletin 134, chapter 6, 6.2.1 Green mango picklegov
  3. [wp-burong] Wikipedia, Burong mangga (sweet form only), read 2026-10-16wiki