Tomato Processing 1: Bottled, Paste, Sauce

A. BOTTLED WHOLE TOMATO

Ingredients:

• 1 kg tomatoes
• 4 tsp salt
• 1 tsp calcium chloride (lime)
• 4 1/4 cup water

Utensils:

• strainer/colander weighing scale
• mixing bowl casserole, stainless
• thermometer spatula
• stove knife, stainless
• measuring cups and spoons liquid measuring cup

Packaging Material:

• sterilized glass jars with new caps

Procedure

1. Select fresh, firm and fully ripe (not over-ripe) tomatoes.
2. Sort and wash thoroughly in running water.
3. Blanch in boiling water for 1/2 to 1 minute or in steam for 2-3 minutes.
4. Dip in cold water.
5. Cut out stem ends and peel off skin.
6. Pack tomatoes firmly in previously sterilized jars or bottles, leaving 1.3 cm (½-inch) from top.
7. Prepare 2% brine with 0.1% lime (4 tsp salt, 4 1/4 c water and 1 tsp lime) and boil.
8. Pour hot brine into the jars filled with whole tomato leaving 0.63 cm (1/3-inch) headspace.
9. Exhaust to 77° C by heating the bottles filled with whole tomatoes for about 25 minutes.
10. Seal completely.
11. Heat again in the boiling water bath for 25 minutes.
12. Cool, label and store.

B. TOMATO PASTE

Ingredients:

• 1 kg tomatoes
• 1 tsp salt
• ½ tsp sugar
• cornstarch
• sodium benzoate (optional)

Utensils:

• stainless/enameled kettle bowl
• measuring spoons wooden ladle
• casserole, stainless chopping board
• blender (optional) knife, stainless
• stove colander
• strainer, stainless thermometer
• weighing scale

Packaging Material:

• sterilized glass jars with PVC caps

Procedure

1. Sort and wash ripe, fleshly red tomatoes.
2. Blanch for 30 seconds and immediately dip in cold water. Remove skin and cut into halves (crosswise).
3. Strain the seeds through fine mesh stainless steel strainer.
4. Discard the seeds. Osterize and/or cut the pulp into small pieces.
5. Mix the juice and pulp. Cook the mixture to soften the pulp by boiling for 10-15 minutes with occasional stirring.
6. Strain and measure the puree.
7. Add 1 tsp salt and ½ tsp sugar to every cup of tomato puree.
8. Transfer the strained puree into a casserole and cook over a low flame for 15 minutes.
9. Continue cooking with occasional stirring until a pasty consistency is reached. Add cornstarch previously dissolved in water (if desired).
10. Fill while hot (80° C) in sterilized bottle. Seal tightly.
11. Pasteurize in boiling water bath for 35 minutes.
12. Cool, label and store.

C. TOMATO SAUCE

Ingredients:

• 4 cup tomato puree
• 1 1/2 cup vinegar (5% acidity)
• 42 g salt
• 0.22 g white pepper
• 320 g sugar
• 0.22 g cinnamon
• 0.9 g other spices
• 2 tsp cornstarch dissolved in
• 1/4 cup water

Utensils:

• stainless/enameled kettle bowl
• wooden ladle knife, stainless
• measuring cups & spoons chopping board
• casserole, stainless colander
• blender (optional) stove
• strainer, stainless thermometer
• weighing scale

Procedure

1. Sort and wash ripe, fleshly red tomatoes.
2. Blanch for 30 seconds. Dip in cold water and peel.
3. Scoop to remove the seeds. Strain and collect the juice.
4. Osterize and/or chop the pulp.
5. Mix the juice and the pulp. Boil for 10-15 minutes with occasional stirring.
6. Strain through a coarse strainer allowing all pulp to pass through.
7. To every 4 cups of the tomato puree, add the vinegar and the remaining ingredients.
8. Boil the mixture for 1 hour stirring constantly to avoid scorching until the right consistency is reached. Add cornstarch previously dissolved in water.
9. Fill while hot in sterilized bottle. Seal thoroughly. Process in boiling water for 35 minutes.
10. Cool, label and store.

For more information, contact:

Industrial Technology Development Institute
DOST Compound, Gen. Santos Ave.,
Bicutan, Taguig City
Tel Nos.: (02) 837-2071 to 82 locs 2182, 2218, 2180;
Telefax Nos.: (02) 837-3167/6150/6156

source: DOST-ITDI, photo from fornobravo.com, recipes.howstuffworks.com, grow-tomato-sauce.com