What guidance does FDA have for manufacturers of Tomato Products?

Tomato Products- Shippers of tomato products (canned tomatoes-21 CFR 155.190, tomato juice-21 CFR 156.145, tomato concentrates such as tomato paste and puree-21 CFR 155.191, and catsup-21 CFR 155.194) should consult the standards of identity for these items. Attention is called to the salt-free tomato solids requirements for puree and paste, and to the fact that neither artificial color nor preservatives are permitted in any of these products. Tomato juice is not concentrated; tomato puree must contain not less than 8 percent, and tomato paste not less than 24 percent, salt-free tomato solids.

These tomato products are occasionally contaminated with rot because of failure to remove decayed tomatoes from the raw material entering the cannery. Flies and worms are also filth contaminants of tomato products. The preparation of a clean tomato product requires proper washing, sorting, and trimming of the tomatoes and frequent cleaning of the cannery equipment, such as tables, utensils, vats, and pipelines.

In judging whether tomato products have been properly prepared to eliminate rot and decay, the Food and Drug Administration uses the Howard mold-count test. If mold filaments are present in excess of amounts stated in the Food Defect Action Levels, FDA refuses admission to import shipments and considers enforcement action against domestic shipments. Methods of testing tomato products are given in the Official Method of Analysis of the Association of Official Analytical Chemists (AOAC).