How many watermelons should be sampled for testing?

The recommended practice for sampling watermelons for testing can vary based on guidelines set by regulatory agencies or industry standards, but a sample size of 10 is generally considered a standard for practical testing. When examining produce like watermelons, having a sample size that is neither too small nor excessively large helps to balance resource usage while still meeting statistical and quality assurance requirements.

A sample size of 10 allows for a meaningful assessment of the overall lot, catching variability in size, quality, and condition effectively. It helps in ensuring that the findings are representative of the larger batch. Smaller sample sizes, such as 5, may not capture enough variability to accurately assess the quality or potential issues within the lot. In contrast, a larger sample size, like 15 or 20, while it could provide more data points, might not be necessary for certain testing objectives and could lead to inefficient use of resources.

Therefore, choosing 10 as a sample size aligns with established practices for testing watermelons, providing a balance between accuracy and efficiency in quality assessment.