THE MANUFACTURE OF TOMATO PRODUCTS TEXT

which has been previously cooked in a batch of catsup. Note the flavor which is extracted by the second cooking, and you will see where you are losing valuable material when you throw away a bag of spice residue after one cooking. Of course the cook will then have two sacks of spices in each batch—a new one and an old one, and he must mark them in some way so he can tell which is which when the batch is drawn off. A good way is to tie the new sack with a single knot, and the old one with a double knot. This method seems to be less confusing to the cook than any other. It is also important to tie the spices in the sack loosely. If a cook is not instructed about this he will invariably tie a cord around the sack so close to the spices that there is no room for them to move around while the sack is being agitated by the boiling. Undoubtedly a better extraction can be obtained if the spices have freedom of movement in the sacks. What Is Extracted What we really get from the spices is a water extract. The acetic acid of the vinegar probably extracts a little more, but as the vinegar is only cooked in the catsup about three minutes, a great deal of extraction could not be expected from that source. Not only the volatile oils, but organic compounds called esters, and also some of the non-volatile oils are extracted from the spices. The volatile oils produce most of the flavor, however the esters also add to the flavor considerably. The non-volatile or “fixed” oil of cayenne pepper has quite a strong spicy flavor, although not nearly as strong as the volatile oil of cayenne. The fixed oils of cassia, allspice, and mace have no flavor at all. Even though a bag of spices be boiled in two batches of forty-five minutes each, a great deal of their flavor is still left in them. This has been proven by chemical analyses of spice residues. Even quite a large percentage of the volatile oils still remain in the spice residue, and, of course, a larger percentage of the non-volatile or fixed oils. It is a question, however, as to whether the extraction of the volatile oil of these spice residues would be a paying proposition. So far as I know, none of the distillers of essential oils seem to be interested in them. Storing Spices Spices should not be held in storage for a long time, particularly in open bins, as some of their volatile oils pass off little by little into the air and are lost. This is especially true of cassia, either ground or broken. They should be stored in a dry place, as some of them are apt to mold if left in an atmosphere of condensing steam, and of course this mold would contaminate the catsup to some extent. I have seen mace which was in a very moldy condition due to its having been stored in the cook room for some time, and having collected moisture. Some of the milder varieties of pepper are also known to become moldy on exposure to extreme dampness. Quality of Flavor A great deal could be written about the quality of various varieties of the same spice. All of these varieties will not be discussed here but I will try to show how the packer is sometimes mislead by spice salesmen who show chemical analyses of their spices as positive proof of the actual value that they contain. As a matter of fact, the true value of a spice cannot be shown by a chemical analysis. Take, for example, cassia. The finest flavored cassia is the Saigon cassia, which can be obtained in the thin quill, the medium bark, and in the thick bark. At the other extreme we have the China cassia, which is considerably cheaper than the Saigon. If the catsup packer is going to judge his spices according to strength, he may find that he gets more strength from the cheap cassia than from the expensive one. The chemical analysis may show that the China cassia contains more essential oil than the Saigon does. In fact, this is often the case. However, what about the quality of that essential oil? There is the point. The essential oil extracted from the Saigon is different from that extracted from the China cassia. It has a more delicate, refined flavor. Its flavor is more pleasing to the palate, and is free from “harshness,” and “strength” of an unrefined nature. This does not mean that one cannot make a nice flavored catsup with China cassia, as such is not the case, but a better flavor can be obtained with Saigon. The point is that quality of flavor as well as quantity of flavor must be considered. Chemical analyses are only of value when exactly the same variety of two or more samples of spice are compared. When it comes to cayenne pepper, the quality of the flavor is not the important factor that it is in the milder spices. Cayenne is used to give “hotness” to the catsup, and the hotter the cayenne is, the greater its value to the packer. The Mombassa and the Japan chillies are the hottest, although in recent years they have been so expensive that it is more economical to use some of the others, even though a slightly larger quantity may be required. For allspice, it is not necessary to use a large, fancy berry, but a small size which is fairly free from sticks, stones, and decayed or pithy berries will answer the purpose just as well. The relative values of samples can be compared by inspecting them and noting the percentage of foreign and decayed material. As to cloves, it is again not necessary to use a fancy article, although all varieties will not impart exactly the same flavor, just as in the case of cassia a different flavor is obtained from Saigon and China cassia. Some packers like the flavor of the Zanzibar cloves, while others give another variety slight preference, chief among which are the Penang, Amboyna, and Pemba. Penang and Banda are the fanciest varieties of mace, but some of the other varieties are all right for catsup, with the exception of Bombay mace, which has no flavor, and is considered an adulterant. Use of Essential Oils In many cases spices are not used at all, but their essential oils are used instead. In other cases both spices and oils are used. Some packers object to the use of cloves on account of the large amount of tannic acid they contain (usually from 16 to 20%), which it is thought has a darkening tendency, especially if any iron is present, and it is also thought that other darkening substances are extracted from the cloves. If the essential oil is used, this is avoided. Essential oils, when added properly, produce a catsup of good flavor, and the product is in every way acceptable. A better flavor, however, can be obtained by the use of whole spices. A water extract obtained from whole spices is different from the essential oil of the spice. It contains the essential oil, part of it at least, but it also contains other substances which impart flavor. The flavor produced by whole spices is not quite as harsh as that produced by essential oils. “Harsh” is not exactly the word, but it comes about as close to it as anything I can think of. The whole spices impart a wealth of flavor, but there is freedom from “strongness,” or any faint suggestion of a “drugstore taste.” I have tasted catsups made with oils in which this “drugstore taste”—I use the term for lack of a better one—was apparent, and it may have been due to the quality of the essential oils used, but more than likely was due to the fact that they were not properly administered. It is necessary to get the oils thoroughly and evenly incorporated into the catsup without volatilizing too much of them. How to Add Essential Oils The best way I know of to do this is as follows: Add the oil from a small lipped container, like an 8 oz. glass graduate, after the catsup is cooked, that is, just as soon as the steam is shut off of the batch, spreading it slowly over the entire surface of the catsup, not dumping it in one spot; then turn the steam on full, and leave it on five seconds; then shut it off immediately, and open the exhaust. This will not make an absolutely perfect mixture of the oil in the catsup, but it will do the job better than agitators, and by only leaving the steam on five seconds very little of the oil is lost by volatilization. The brushing of the catsup through the finishing machine also helps in more thoroughly mixing in the oil, and if the catsup is then pumped from the finisher to a receiving tank over the filling machine, as is often done, the mixing is made still more complete by the pumping process. If a number of different essential oils are used they are mixed together before adding. One large manufacturer whose catsup is well liked uses no whole spices at all, even using oleo resin capsicum instead of ground cayenne pepper. Oleo resin capsicum is much hotter than the ground cayenne, and, of course, a very small quantity of it is required. Paprika Paprika is used to a very large extent in catsup, chiefly because of its bright red color, which assists to some extent in toning up the color of a catsup that would otherwise be rather unattractive because of its brownish cast. If any appreciable help is to be obtained from paprika, it must be used in large quantity, and it must be of the most brilliant red variety. Much paprika has a dull brick or brownish color, and it might as well be left out. The use of only a pound of paprika to 100 gallons of catsup scarcely produces any effect on the color. If paprika is used, at least two pounds should be used for this quantity of catsup, otherwise it might almost as well be omitted. Of course, paprika is a spice as well as a color, and on that account it can be used in catsup without any statement on the label to the effect that the product is colored artificially. It does impart some flavor, but the flavor isn’t particularly desirable in catsup. If paprika was yellow or brown, instead of red, it is doubtful if it would be used at all in catsup; certainly it would not be used extensively. Most of the best catsups on the market are made without paprika, and these catsups are as a rule the most brilliant in color, as they are made almost entirely from fresh tomatoes. The color is not killed by a long succession of cooking processes, and therefore the use of paprika is unnecessary and would add absolutely nothing to the color. Paprika is a rather poor excuse for a coloring matter anyway. The coloring principle in the spice is not soluble in the catsup, and all of the color is retained within the grains of the powder. If this coloring principle dissolved in the catsup, as does cochineal, the effect would be very good. The use of paprika is very easily detected by pouring out a bit of the catsup on a piece of paper, and making a thin layer of it. The grains of paprika then stand out very prominently. Some catsups are literally “loaded” with paprika, and they have a sort of brick color, which is somewhat different from the color produced by fresh, ripe tomatoes. This catsup would no doubt be brown if so much paprika wasn’t used. As to flavor, such goods are usually not very good, and are often very poor indeed. Quantities of Spices and Oils per Batch As to the quantity of spices to use per 100 gallons of catsup, I would suggest 3 oz. of ground cayenne pepper, 1½ lbs. of medium bark, broken Saigon cassia, 1¼ lbs. of whole allspice, and 1¼ lbs. of whole cloves. The cassia, allspice, and cloves go in a sack, and the cayenne goes in direct at the beginning of the cooking. If paprika is used it is put in with the cayenne. If the essential oil of cloves is preferred to the whole spice, 1 oz. of it will give a pronounced clove taste, although not too pronounced. If it is desired to use essential oils altogether, with the exception of the cayenne pepper, a good mixture is ½ oz. oil of cassia, 1 oz. oil of cloves, and ½ oz. oil of pimento. A good flavored catsup can also be obtained with the amounts of pepper, oil of cassia, and oil of cloves given above, but with no oil of pimento. It should be remembered that with these oils the most important point is the successful administration of them. Giving proper quantities to use amounts to nothing if they are improperly administered. In fact, any kind of a formula for making a tomato product amounts to very little in itself. It doesn’t make any difference how fine a formula a man has, it by no means assures a good product. When the formula is obtained a bare start is made. In the hands of one manufacturer excellent results will be obtained with the use of a formula, while another man who has practically the same formula will make an absolute failure of his manufacturing. Essential Oils Economical The use of spice oils is more economical as far as the actual expense of the formula is concerned, and it is also very convenient, as you have your flavoring in small packages in a highly concentrated form. As these oils are distilled from spices which are wormy, or for some other reason not marketable as whole spices, the spice from which they are distilled can be obtained very cheap. As a rule the oils are distilled where the spices are grown, and only the essential oil is imported. In order to make the oils comply with the regulations of the U. S. Pharmacopoeia, it is usually necessary to re-distill them here, as they often contain lead from being transported in lead containers. Adulteration of Ground Spices If ground spices are used they should be bought from a concern of very high standing, as their adulteration is by no means an uncommon practice. Deception is, of course, difficult in whole spices. Such adulteration as the use of ten or twenty per cent of ground pepper shells in ground pepper has frequently been discovered by government chemists. Ground olive stones, sawdust, brick dust, ground cocoanut shells, and many other inert substances have also been found in ground spices. Adulteration can almost always be detected by either microscopical or chemical examination, but there have been cases where the adulteration has been so cleverly done that the only way it could be verified was by detective work on the part of government agents. Onions and Garlic Onions for catsup need not be carefully peeled, as a little peeling will not impart any foreign taste. It is well, however, to remove that part of the peeling which is dry and comes off easily. The finishing machine will remove that portion of the peeling which is left. The sweet Bermuda onions are not as good for catsup as are the stronger kind, as it takes too many of them to impart a distinct onion flavor. The onions should, of course, be washed if they are not clean when taken from the sack. Some firms use an onion washing and peeling machine and they like the machine very much. A coarse grinding of the onions is sufficient. Some packers use garlic and some do not. Garlic is treated in exactly the same way as onions but should be ground rather fine. The cloves of the garlic should be removed from the enveloping tissue, but it is not necessary to separate the individual cloves from the hard, fibrous coating which surrounds them. Onions and garlic should be added as soon as all of the tomato juice for the batch is boiling in the kettle. For a 100 gallon batch, two gallons of chopped onions and ½ lb. of ground garlic are about the right amounts. Ground onions and garlic should not be left standing over night, as they get black and lose their flavor. In cases where some are unavoidably left over, they should be covered with vinegar and salt. Sugars The sugars most commonly used in catsup are granulated cane, clarified cane, granulated beet, and raw, unrefined sugars. The purest of these are granulated cane and granulated beet, which are equally good. There is a prejudice against beet sugar by many people in the east, who think it is not as good as cane sugar, but this is a mistaken idea. Any food chemist will tell you that they are the same, and are equally good. All granulated sugar, whether cane or beet, must contain at least 99.5% of sucrose (pure sugar) to comply with the federal standard. And remember that sucrose is sucrose, whether derived from sugar cane or sugar beet. Almost all granulated sugar will test 99.8% sucrose, which is slightly above the minimum established by the government. This leaves a negligible quantity of impurities, which in the case of beet sugar are derived from the beet, and in cane sugar from the cane. If there is any difference between the two sugars it lies in this very minute quantity of impurities and such a difference can surely not be objected to. Granulated sugar, whether cane or beet, is the purest food article in commerce. Clarified cane sugar is not quite as pure as granulated, but when used in catsup will make equally as good a product as granulated will; however, as the percentage of sucrose is not so high, a little more of it has to be used. A considerable saving can often be made by buying clarified instead of granulated sugar, but the purchase should be made on polariscope test, so the buyer knows exactly what he is getting. Raw sugars are slightly less pure than clarified, although there is very little difference between the best grades of raw sugar and clarified. Good centrifugal raw sugar will contain about 96.5% of sucrose. The lower grades of raw sugars should not be used, as they are dark and will darken the catsup to some extent, but there is scarcely any color to the better grades, and they give good results. The use of raw sugars often permits quite a saving on the sugar bill. They should be bought on polariscope test, and when received should be tested against the sample on which they were bought. Sugar Syrups “Cane sugar syrups” have for several years been offered to canners and preservers, and they are advertised to be equal pound for pound to granulated sugar and to be considerably cheaper. The samples of these heavy, colorless syrups that I have tested have contained a considerable percentage of invert sugar, and also moisture. The moisture is, of course, worthless, and as the invert sugar is less sweet than sucrose it is ridiculous to claim that such a product is equal in sweetness to granulated sugar. These syrups are said to be used by some catsup makers, however the saving that is effected by their use is probably imaginary. The sugar can be added at any time after all the tomato juice for the batch is boiling in the kettle. Some prefer to add it at the end of the batch so as to run less danger of scorching; however, if the coils are clean, and there is a good head of steam, and the taps are working right, there need be no fear of burning, even if the sugar is added twenty minutes before the batch is done. The sugar should be put in small pails or boxes, so that it can be scattered easily over the surface of the boiling pulp. If it is put in heavy containers it is apt to be dumped in one spot, and may not all dissolve, as much of it may fall in a lump below the coil where the circulation is not good. If the coils or traps are not working properly, or the tomatoes are a little green, and the cook is having trouble with the catsup burning on the coils badly, it is advisable to not add the sugar until a few minutes before the batch is done. If 10½ gallons of 100 grain vinegar are used to a 100–gallon batch, about 105 pounds of granulated sugar will be required. Use of Sugar in Large Quantities It should not be thought that extra sugar is going to increase the volume of catsup in proportion to the volume of extra sugar added. I am reminded in this connection of a conversation I had with a large catsup packer, in which we were discussing the large amount of sugar and