Tomato

Tomato

Cropped image of a group of tomatos

Tomato products are used in a wide range of processed foods. Pasta sauce, pizza toppings, tomato puree, soups, ketchup, relish, etc.

During processing, tomatoes are deposited into a flume for washing and sorting, steamed and peeled, and pulped to remove seeds and skins. At this point it may be chopped and canned, or turned into paste or sauces. For paste, pulp enters evaporators to remove water and concentrate it to 28-30% solids for “cold break,” used in ketchup and juice, or 36-38% solids, used for pasta and pizza sauces and canned tomato paste.

Tomato products are acidic, around pH 4.2, and viscous, ranging from 200 cPs tomato juice to 100,000 cPs paste. Tomato products are non-Newtonian, shear-thinning and are susceptible to bacterial contamination. Hygienic positive displacement pumps are perfect for transferring tomato products due to their ability to handle a wide range of viscosities without cavitation by creating voids that fill with product and collapsing them, forcing a consistent amount of liquid out with every revolution regardless of system pressure changes. They are easily cleaned using CIP processes to maintain hygiene.

Viking in the Process

Viking hygienic pumps are used both at tomato processing plants to transfer pulp, paste, ketchup and sauces as they are processed and on to packaging machines or tanker trucks. They are also used at downstream food processors to transfer tomato products from tankers to storage to depositing machines.

Applications

  • Pulp and paste transfer
  • Ketchup and sauce transfer
  • Transfer to packaging machines or tanker trucks
  • Tanker unloading, storage and depositing

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Articles / Case Studies
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