Preservation effect of plant essential oil-KGM composite coating materials on the tomatoes

Abstract

Tomatoes with rich in nutrients are very popular for humans, but they are extremely perishable during storage and transportation, which may limit their economic and nutritional value. In this research, the suitable concentration of essential oil and soaking time were investigated and selected by measuring the changes of tomatoes’ weight loss ratio and hardness with single factor experiment. Subsequently, the Box-Behnken experimental design model from Response Surface Methodology (RSM) was employed to optimize key process parameters for tomato preservation, with three independent variables selected: cinnamon essential oil concentration, konjac glucomannan (KGM) concentration, and immersion time.