2.4.5. Microbial analysis
Total mesophilic count was performed according to [22]. Ten g
of sample (a mix of skin/surface and pericarp, to have a homogeneous
and representative sample of tomato fruits) was mixed with
90 ml peptone saline solution in a sterile stomacher bag and homogenised
for 1 min using a Stomacher. Dilutions were made in peptone
water, as needed for plating. Plate Count Agar was used as the
media for total mesophilic counts pour plate, incubated at 30 C for
3 days.
Yeast and mould were determined according to [23], using Rose
Bengal Chloramphenicol Agar, surface inoculation and incubated at
25 C during 5 days.