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Tomato Preservation Techniques

The process of drying, freezing or treating foods with substances to prevent the proliferation of
microorganisms such as bacteria and fungi in order to retard or stop spoilage is known as
preservation. The primary aim of food preservation is to extend the shelf life of the produce and this
may involve processes for the complete elimination or slowing down the oxidation of fats which
usually cause rancidity

Nigeria ranks second to Egypt in Africa and fourteenth globally in tomato production. Though the
quantum of tomatoes produced in Nigeria is relatively small compared to China the largest producer,
yet, about 70% of this may always be lost to spoilage. Its preservation and storage is important to
the economy of individual homes, farmers and the country considering the vital role tomato play in
the health of people and food security.

Some of the techniques used in the preservation of tomatoes include: freezing, drying, canning, use
of preservatives and concentration by boiling.

Freezing

Tomatoes may be frozen whole, sliced, chopped, or pured. Since the invention freezing is one of
the few methods which allow the preservation of food attributes such as taste, texture whilst
maintaining the nutritional value (FAO, 2005). The freezing process is a combination of the beneficial
effects of low temperatures at which microorganisms cannot grow, chemical reactions are reduced,
and cellular metabolic reactions are delayed. Freezing is generally regarded as superior to canning
and dehydration, with respect to retention in sensory attributes and nutritive properties (Parnell et al.,
2004)

Figure 1. A schematic illustration of overall freezing process (FAO, 2005).

There is a variety of freezing systems available for freezing,g and for most products, more than one
type of freezer can be used. The industrial equipment for freezing can be categorized in many ways,
namely as equipment used for batch or in-line operation, heat transfer systems (air, contact, cryogenic),
and product stability. The rate of heat transfer from the freezing medium to the product is important in
defining the freezing time of the product. Therefore, the equipment selected for freezing process
characterizes the rate of freezing. Figure 2. Shows some of these equipment.
Figure 2. Freezing equipment: (a) fluidized bed freezers (b) immersion freezers (c) plate freezers (d)
contact belt freezers (FAO, 2005).

Drying

Dehydration removes water from tomatoes in order to preserve them. The amount of time it takes to
dry tomatoes depends on the tomato variety, the airs humidity during the drying process, the
thickness of the tomato slices or pieces, and the efficiency of the dehydrator or oven.

The secret to dehydrating tomatoes successfully is to control the temperature and air circulation. If
held at too low a temperature (less than 90F [32C]) the product will dry too slowly, giving bacteria
or mold a chance to grow. At temperatures of 170F (77C) or more, the tomatoes cook or harden on
the outside, while the inside remains moist, allowing spoilage. Optimum drying temperatures are 135
to 140F (57.2 to 60C).

Properly dried tomatoes have a dark red color and feel dry and leathery, but not hard or brittle. They
should not be tacky or moist. You should be able to bend them easily back and forth. When you
touch a properly dried tomato in the center, no tomato pulp should stick to your finger

Sun drying

To sun dry, place the prepared tomatoes about 1 2 to 1 inch (1 to 3cm) apart cut-side-up, on clean
wooden, plastic, chromed, or non-stick-coated drying trays (Figure 2..). galvanized screens are not
to be used, as it could react with the acid in tomatoes. Cover the arranged fruit with fine netting or
cheesecloth to keep insects off. During sun drying, air must circulate around and under each tray, so
the trays should not be stacked. The netting should be raised above the trays so that it does not touch
the tomatoes. The drying time will vary according to the air temperature and the size and type of
tomatoes being dried.
Figure 2. Typical sun drying rack (Parnell et al., 2004)

Oven drying

Oven drying of tomatoes is possible, but because tomatoes can take up to 40 hours to adequately dry
we do not recommend it. This process heats up the kitchen, makes the oven unavailable for other
uses, and is unsafe in homes with small children because of the potential for burns.

Dehydrator drying

Unlike sun drying, which depends on the weather, dehydrator drying can be done at any time. There
is an initial expense involved in buying a dehydrator (Figure 2. a and b), but many people think that
a dehydrator produces the best quality dried food. An electric dehydrator can maintain a low, even
temperature, circulating the heated air by means of a blower or fan. Most dehydrators are equipped
with thermostats to maintain a constant temperature, and some have timers. Larger units with many
shelves have room for more food than most ovens (Figure 2b).

Figure 2 Typical dehydrators (a) dehydrator without shelves (b) dehydrator with shelves (Parnell et
al., 2004)

Canning

Canning is a method of preserving food in which the food contents are processed and sealed in an
airtight container. Canning provides a shelf life typically ranging from one to five years, although
under specific circumstances it can be much longer (Blumenthal, 1990). Tomatoes may be peeled,
heat treated before they are placed in the can to remove air and improve packing. Figure 2 shows
tomatoes preserved by canning.
Plate 2 Canned tomatoes (The Spruce, 2017)

Concentration by boiling

Tomato pulp can be prepared using a pestle and mortar, some types of mills (eg 'Posho' mill in West
Africa) or by small pulping machines. It is usually necessary to remove seeds and skins this can be
done by sieving through a medium mesh (eg 1-2mm holes). Tomatoes can be boiled to evaporate
the water. Depending on how much water is removed and what other ingredients are mixed into
the pulp, it is possible to obtain a large number of products. Examples are given in Table 1.

Source: (Daenvis.org, 2017)

The basic preservation principle behind all of these products is to remove water by boiling to a) heat
the product to destroy enzymes and micro-organisms and b) concentrate the product so that
contaminating micro-organisms cannot re-grow.

This can be done in an open pan over a fire. It is necessary to heat slowly -especially when the
product is more concentrated - to prevent it burning onto the pan. It should also be stirred
continuously which is very labour intensive (and hot work). The product will be a dark red paste
with a strong taste of tomato.
A better colour and faster process cn be achieved using a steam jacketed boiling pan with steam
from a boiler but this is expensive and should only be considered for larger scales of operation. The
bright red colour of imported tomato pastes and pures can only be obtained by using vacuum
evaporators and at present there is no low-cost small-scale equipment available to our knowledge.

After boiling to the correct solids concentration (usually 65-75 Brix by refractometer or to a
temperature of 104-106C at sea level) the product is filled into pre-sterilised jars (100C for ten
minutes in steam or water) and cooled to room temperature. A selection of typical recipes for each
product is given below.

REFERENCES

1. Parnell, T.L., Suslow, T.V., Harris, L.J. (2004). Tomatoes: Safe Methods to Store, Preserve, and
Enjoy, Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of California.
2. The Spruce. (2017). How to Can Tomatoes, Retrieved from https://www.thespruce.com/how-
to-can-tomatoes-p2-2216509 (Accessed 18/08/2017).
3. Blumenthal, Dale (September 1990). "The Canning Process; Old Preservation Technique Goes
Modern". FDA Consumer.
4. Daenvis.org. (2017). Tomato Processing, Retrieved from
http://www.daenvis.org/technology/ntomato.htm, (Accessed 18/08/2017)

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