4. Conclusions
In this study, response surface methodology (RSM) was used for
optimising ultrasounds conditions (power level and treatment
time) during storage at 10 C for maintaining tomato quality
during postharvest period. The RSM can be employed to model
quality parameters of sonicated whole tomato fruits, while minimising
the number of required experiments.
The sonication postharvest treatment conditions for tomato
fruit could be considered optimum if decay incidence, development
of red colour and microbial populations reached minimum values,
while responses for phenolic compounds content reached maximum
values simultaneously. As predicted by RSM, the optimum
sonication treatment conditions at constant frequency of 45 kHz,