Tomato purée: processing and production machinery

Tomato purée (or passata) is a highly versatile food, and one of the base ingredients in many “made in Italy” recipes, as well as many others, from pasta sauces to the basic condiments for pizzas, as well as being used in various meat-based main courses or vegetarian dishes. It is made exclusively from fresh tomatoes, and only high-quality, whole products are used, not waste from other processes, such as peeled tomatoes, which are instead recovered in the production of concentrates.

Tomato purée can be defined as the juice or pulp of concentrated tomatoes without skin or seeds and is the result of a cold or hot extraction method whose resulting raw material is then thickened in evaporators.

Carefully selecting the tomatoes used in the production of passata is crucial, as it can affect the quality and durability of the finished product. The selection criteria include ripeness and the absence of imperfections and defects. Deep red, ripe tomatoes with a higher TSS (total soluble solids) and pulp create a better quality product. The pectin content and colouration are two equally important parameters.

For a product to be called 'tomato purée', it must be obtained directly from fresh, healthy, ripe vegetables. To maintain the colour, aroma and taste of the tomatoes, the juice must be concentrated to 5 - 12 degrees Brix. The purée can be mixed with edible salt, acidity correctors, spices, herbs and aromatic plants, and its skin and seed content must be less than 4% by weight of the finished product, as specified in the Italian Ministerial Decree dated 17 February 2006.