How to make ketchup industrial?

With the development of the global economy and the improvement of people's living standards, the food industry has entered a period of rapid growth. Consumers are demanding greater diversity and richer flavors in food products, especially in sauces such as ketchup, chili sauce, peanut butter, hot sauce，pasta sauce，tomato sauce，alfredo sauce，bbq sauce， spaghetti sauce and salad dressing, which are seeing steadily increasing demand in the global market. Sauces are not only essential as condiments on the table, but they are also widely used in the restaurant and fast-food industries, leading to a growing demand for high-quality sauces.

Traditionally, sauce production has often relied on manual filling, a method that, while simple, has several drawbacks. Manual filling is inefficient, with production speeds unable to meet the demands of mass production. Additionally, the variability of human operation makes it difficult to control the filling volume accurately, resulting in inconsistent product quality. Manual filling also poses significant hygiene risks, with a higher likelihood of product contamination, thereby compromising food safety. To improve production efficiency and product quality, food manufacturers began seeking more efficient, precise, and hygienic filling methods. The sauce filling machine was developed specifically to address these pain points. It is capable of handling sauces with various viscosities and can accommodate flexible production, ranging from small to large bottles and from single products to multiple product lines. This reduces dependence on manual labor, lowers production costs, and enhances product hygiene standards and safety.

Although the sauce filling machine has been around for a long time, many people still have limited knowledge about it, or even know nothing about it. So today I will talk about the packaging materials and industrialization process of the sauce filling machine.

1.What is the packaging for ketchup?

The Importance of Packaging for Ketchup: A First Impression That Counts

Packaging plays a crucial role in the perception of a product, often forming the first impression that customers have. Ketchup packaging comes in a variety of materials and designs, each tailored to preserve the quality of the tomato mix it contains.

Below are some common types of tomato sauce packaging, along with their features, advantages, and disadvantages.

Sauce Jars

Sauce jars are typically made of glass, a material that excels at preserving taste and flavor. These jars are ideal for packaging thick, sticky sauces, as the contents can be easily scooped out. Glass jars provide excellent protection against heat, pressure, and other factors that could compromise the product.

A key benefit of sauce jars is their transparency, which allows customers to inspect the product for quality and enhances its visual appeal on store shelves. Additionally, glass jars are highly sustainable, as they can be reused.

However, glass jars are fragile and can pose a health risk if they break and contaminate the contents. They also tend to be more expensive than other packaging options.

Glass Sauce Bottles

Glass sauce bottles are a popular choice for packaging moderately thick sauces, ensuring a smooth flow. These bottles come in various shapes, sizes, and designs, often customized by different brands.

One of the main advantages of glass bottles is their impermeable and nonporous nature, which helps maintain product freshness and extend shelf life.

On the downside, glass bottles are prone to shattering if dropped, and they add significant weight to the product, increasing transportation costs.

Squeezable Sauce Bottles

Squeezable bottles are designed for thick sauces that need to be dispensed easily. These bottles are commonly found in both stores and households. They are relatively inexpensive to produce compared to other packaging options.

The lightweight nature of squeezable bottles makes them easy to handle and cheaper to transport, whether in bulk or as individual units. They are also extremely durable and resistant to breaking, even if dropped.

However, squeezable bottles are made of plastic, a material that contributes significantly to environmental pollution. Moreover, exposure to extreme temperatures can cause harmful chemicals from the plastic to leach into the sauce, posing a health risk.

Sauce Pouches and Bags

Sauce pouches and bags are typically used for near-liquid sauces. These packages are convenient, space-saving, and available in various sizes, made from either plastic or biodegradable materials.

Pouches and bags are sealed tightly, preventing air and moisture from entering, which helps preserve the product. They are also among the most cost-effective packaging options.

The primary drawback of sauce pouches and bags is related to their seals. Once opened, the contents must either be consumed or stored in a refrigerator to prevent contamination.

2.How do you process Tomato Ketchup?

Tomato ketchup is a blend of various ingredients, including tomatoes, vegetables, spices, and preservatives. Key components include salt (sodium chloride), sugar, spices, spice extracts, vinegar, acetic acid, onions, garlic, chilies, pectin, and alginates as stabilizers.

Pulping

The process begins with chopping and precooking the tomatoes, which are then pumped into pulping machines or cyclones. These machines separate the seeds, skins, and stems from the pulp. The pulp is then filtered through screens and further processed into ketchup, while some is stored as paste for future use.

Adding Ingredients and Cooking

The tomato pulp is transferred into cooking tanks or kettles, where it is heated to a temperature above 80°C. Measured amounts of sweeteners, vinegar, salt, spices, and flavorings are then added. To preserve the volatile oils, these are added later in the cooking process, rather than at the beginning with the spices, salt, and sugar. Dehydrated onion or garlic powders, sourced from specialized suppliers, are typically used. The mixture is cooked for 30-45 minutes, with rotating blades circulating the mixture to ensure even cooking. The temperature is carefully controlled to allow proper absorption of the ingredients without overcooking.

Finishing

After cooking, the ketchup mixture is passed through a finishing machine, which removes excess fiber and particles using screens. This step ensures a smoother consistency. In some cases, the ketchup is milled at higher temperatures and pressures to further enhance its smoothness.

Removing air

The ketchup is then de-aerated to prevent discoloration and inhibit bacterial growth. Excess air can create unattractive air pockets and complicate the sealing process.

Filling

To avoid contamination, the ketchup is transferred from the receiving tanks to the filling machines at a temperature not lower than 88°C. The containers are filled with ketchup and immediately sealed to preserve the product's freshness. Ketchup containers come in various shapes and sizes.

Cooling

After filling, the containers are cooled to prevent flavor loss due to stack burning, which can occur when ketchup remains at high temperatures after cooking. The containers are cooled using either cold air or cold water.

Labeling and Packing

Finally, the ketchup containers are labeled and coded with essential product information, such as ingredients, date, location of manufacture, and shelf-life. The bottled ketchup may undergo a final inspection before being shipped. The entire ketchup manufacturing process typically takes two to three hours.