The aim of the current work is to give a contribution to the study of the drying process of tomatoes through the synergy of the hot air and microwave technologies. The drying of tomatoes is a process commonly used to preserve the product and to prolong its shelf-life. In this paper, four experimental tests on the product under study, were carried out. Then, different drying diagrams were developed and analyzed taking into account the conventional air system, the micro- wave system and the simultaneous use of hot air and microwaves. The drying tests were carried out using the Cencara tomatoes type. The drying of tomatoes is a process commonly used to preserve the product and to prolong its shelf-life. However, tomatoes dried under natural conditions may be exposed to dust, rain and high temperatures. In these conditions some problems can determine a worsening of the quality of the final products. These problems are: crack of the structure, bleaching, hard texture, loss of flavour and nutritional prop- erties, low rehydration capacity, non-enzymatic browning (1). In spite of that, a rising attention to the production of dried tomatoes is clear owing to the several ways their use and cooking (2). Therefore, there is a rising demand by the consumer of finished products having their nutritional and sensorial characteristics preserved as much as possible. The experimental and industrial research turns its attention to optimization of the tomato drying process (3-6). Many pa- pers on single method dehydration have been published re- cently (7-10), but not so many evaluate effects of combined drying process (10, 11), especially on tomatoes (12-14), and in particular using microwave drying (13, 15). In this study, the combination of microwave and convec- tion processes to tomato was analysed with the intent to im- prove the sensorial quality and shelf-life of food, to speed up and to reduce drying time with consequent energy savings and reduction of management costs compared to the hot air drying process (16-19). In particular, the aim of the present experimental work was to investigate the drying behavior of the system considering this particular kind of tomato Cen- cara cultivated in Southern and Central Italy. The choice of this product to be treated, was done considering its typical- ness. The effective setting-up of the drying plant is specific for these particular samples of products (cut in half) consid- ering the use of the final products. (These kind of tomatoes are often eaten after an under oil preservation). A wide demand from the customer at local and national level regarding this kind of product, determined the decision to use this system for its production. At the same time, the quality valorisation of the product may be carried out also using suitable traceability systems. Within some agro-food areas, the traceability becomes a must especially to enhance local product.