PREPARATION OF TOMATO SAUCE OR KETCHUP

Aim of the experiment: To study about the preparation and storage of tomato sauce/ ketchup.

Objectives:

      1. To know the methods of preparation and preservation of tomato sauce and ketchup.

     2. To know the difficulties, precautions to be taken and technical know-how of the final product’s quality.

Materials required:

1. Tomatoes

2. Salt

3. Sugar

4. Spice bag

5. Spices (Red Chilli, onion, garlic, ginger, cinnamon, cardamom, aniseed, cumin, black pepper, clove etc.)

6. Pulper

7. Strainer

Chemicals and reagents:

1. Sodium benzoate

2. Vinegar

Relevant information: There is no essential difference between sauce and ketchup. However, sauces are generally thinner and contain more total solids (minimum 30%) than ketchup (minimum 28%). Tomato, apple, papaya, walnut, soybean, mushroom, etc., are used for making sauces. Sauces/ketchup are prepared from more or less the same ingredients and in the same manner as chutney, except that the fruit or vegetable pulp or juice used is sieved after cooking to remove the skin, seeds, and stalks of fruits, vegetables, and spices and to give a smooth consistency to the final product. However, cooking takes longer because fine pulp or juice is used. It is made from strained tomato juice or pulp and spices, salt, sugar, and vinegar, with or without onion and garlic, and contains not less than 12 percent tomato solids and 25 percent total solids.

Principles:

Tomato products are prepared from ripe tomatoes and preserved by chemical preservatives or by heat application. It is made from strained tomato juice or pulp and spices, salt, sugar, and vinegar, with or without onion and garlic, and contains not less than 12% tomato solids and 25% total soluble solids (TSS).

Method of preparation of tomato sauce/ ketchup:

Recipe: Tomato pulp 1 kg, sugar 75 g, salt 10 g, onion (chopped) 50 g, ginger (chopped) 10 g, garlic (chopped) 5 g, red chilli powder 5 g, cinnamon, cardamom (large), aniseed, cumin, black pepper (powdered) 10 g each, clove (headless) 5 numbers, vinegar 25 ml or glacial acetic acid 5 ml and sodium benzoate 0.25 g per kg final product.

The flow chart of tomato sauce is given below;

Observations:

Quantity of tomato taken= __________

Quantity of pulp extracted=___________

Amount of final product prepared=__________

TSS of the final product=___________˚Brix

Precautions:

1. All equipment used should be rust and acid-proof.

2. Good quality tomato fruits must be selected to obtain the best tomato sauce/ ketchup.

3. Garlic may or may not be used, if not liked by the consumers.