When you think of tomato pastes or sauces, the first thought is often of that deep-red colour that makes your mouth water. Tomato-based products are a staple of many of our diets, and with an increase in demand for premium products, getting that colour right is ever-more important.
When cooking a tomato-based product, manufacturers have previously faced the challenge of the sauce losing its rich colour and turning orange; putting off consumers. Not only this, but reconstituting products such as tomato paste in a steam-jacketed vessel has often resulted in burn-on, tarnishing the appearance with dark flecks. So how can manufacturers eliminate burn-on and maintain the rich colour?
Why do tomato products go orange?
First of all, we need to understand why tomato-based products go orange in the production process. Traditionally, manufacturers have used either steam injection or steam-jacketed kettles in cooking facilities. Steam injectors have the tendency to turn tomato-based products orange because of over-processing and excessive aeration of the tomato ingredients during cooking.
Similar results are often seen with a steam-jacketed kettle. Although the risk of aeration is reduced, a kettle is limited to running at a standard pressure that cannot be altered, meaning the tomato products are exposed to high temperatures for a prolonged period of time. This lack of control means the product is over-processed, making it susceptible to burning and turning orange.
Burn-on is a significant challenge facing manufacturers with both steam injection and steam-jacketed kettles. Although agitators are used in both processes, hot spots on the vessels inner wall means that cold product touching those parts are at risk of burning on to the side. This results in reduced efficiency and burnt spots threatening the quality of the product, as well as making CIP much harder.
Steam Infusion solution
For manufacturers looking to enhance flavours and colours of tomato-based products, both burn-on and over-processing pose a threat to the end result. However, with Steam Infusion, both problems are eliminated.
The main reason Steam Infusion is so effective with tomato-based products is because of the innovative design of the technology which allows it to put more energy efficiently into a product than other technologies. The disruptive nature of the process means that the steam is condensed into the product within the Vaction™ Pump rather than injected, ensuring a highly efficient energy transfer. Unlike with a steam-jacketed kettle, with Steam Infusion the steam pressure can be controlled, ensuring a gentle cook to maintain the original colours of the tomato.
Once the colour is maintained, you do not want it to be tarnished with dark spots from burn-on. The In-Tank Vaction Pump sits within the cooking vessel and ensures the product is heated from the centre outwards, while the lance is double-skinned, providing insulation against burn-on in the vessel. This produces a more appealing sauce for consumers, and for manufacturers, the elimination of burn-on facilitates CIP. In fact, customers have found that up to 10 batches can be run one after another without a full CIP, thanks to the lack of burn-on and subsequent vessel fouling.
Orange appeal
However, if you are looking for an orange colour, this can be achieved with Steam Infusion. The steam levels are controllable which means the product can be successfully heated and processed until it reaches the desired characteristic - whatever colour you’re looking for. The flexible nature of the pump ensures that the end result can be tailored to individual recipe requirements, making it the perfect choice for a wide variety of consumers.
