Tomato sauce processing production line
I. Overview of the Tomato Sauce Processing Production Line
Tomato ketchup is a concentrated, paste-like product made from fresh tomatoes, characterized by its bright red color. It is used as a cooking condiment for dishes such as fish and meat, serving as a flavoring agent that is typically not consumed directly. Ketchup is produced by crushing ripe red tomatoes, pulping them, removing the skins and seeds along with other coarse solids, and then subjecting the resulting mixture to concentration, canning, and sterilization.
Drawing on years of practical experience and integrating both domestic and international production technologies, our company has developed a comprehensive processing solution for tomato‑paste production lines. We also offer tailored services for clients’ projects—based on their investment capacity and actual production needs—including engineering design, equipment supply, installation, commissioning, as well as technical support and operator training—providing end‑to‑end project delivery.
II. Process Flow
Raw materials → Sorting conveyor → Flotation washer → Elevator → Crusher → Storage tank → Pulper → Mixing tank → Vacuum concentration pot with agitator → Sterilizer → Finished-product tank → Filling
Raw material selection: Choose tomatoes that are fully ripe, free from mold, rot, and pest or disease damage, and exhibit a bright red color.
Conveyor selection: Remove rotten tomatoes or any decayed portions, trim the stems from the selected fruit, and then convey the tomatoes to the water‑jet washing machine.
Surfing washer: Uses clean water to remove adhering sediment, pathogenic bacteria, and residual pesticides.
Elevator: After the tomatoes have been washed, they are conveyed by the elevator to the crusher for crushing.
Crusher: The washed tomatoes are crushed in a crusher to remove the seeds, with the particle size adjusted as required to facilitate subsequent processes such as enzyme inactivation, juice extraction, or pulp recovery.
Storage tank: Temporarily stores tomatoes after they have been crushed.
Pulper: Removes the skin and seeds from tomato fruits, while retaining both the soluble and insoluble components of the tomato, particularly pectin and fiber.
Blending tank: The sugar–acid ratio in tomato sauce is a key determinant of its taste and flavor. In addition to adjusting the sugar–acid balance, it is also necessary to tailor the product’s color, aroma, viscosity, stability, and nutritional value according to its specific type. Other ingredients, such as preservatives and stabilizers, are added in prescribed amounts during the blending process.
Vacuum concentration pot with agitator: removes moisture from tomato paste, reducing packaging, storage, and transportation costs. Concentration increases the tomato paste’s solids content.
Sterilizer: Utilizes ultra-high-temperature instantaneous technology.
Filling: Select a filling machine based on the packaging format.
III. Scope of Application
Production capacity: 50–1,500 tons of fresh tomatoes processed per day;
Product concentrations: 28%-30%, 30%-32%, 36%-38%;
Control mode: semi-automatic or fully automatic;
The production line can be configured with equipment of varying functions to meet customers’ diverse product‑specific requirements.