Introduction
Canned tomatoes are tomatoes usually peeled that are sealed into a canned after having been processed by heat.
This product are considered important world wide (Robinso, et al, 1994). In Nigeria tomato paste is the most important tomato product because of its wide spread use for preparation of various food/menus. It contain on the average about 6.4% total solids, of which 3.5% is invert sugar, 0.5% citric acid,0.6% ash, 0.9% protein, 0.53% crude fibre and about 0.05% fat. When spoil as a result of the life processes of bacteria, yeast and molds, the sugars are rapidly used up being changes into acetic acid, lactic acid, alcohol and carbon dioxide, the amount of these substances depending on the types of organism which are most active in the particular sample in question.
Until recent years, nearly all the tomato paste consumed in Nigeria was important from European countries with Italy being the leading country. However, today, limited brands are produced locally. Although both the imported and the local brands are available on the market, consumers prefer the former in spite of its relatively higher cost.
In general, adequate heat processing is given to tomato paste to achieve commercial sterility (speck, 1984), but subsequent abusive post-process handling/storage may lead to undesirable microbiological changes (Anon, 1980). It is public knowledge that can of tomato paste often show external evidence of spoilage under tropical retail conditions. In addition, and interestingly, these d effective products are sold (especially to the less informed) at the same cost as the normal (non-defective- product.
The structural systematic approach for the control of food safety “Hazard Analytsis and critical control point-HACCP” identifies, evaluated and controls hazards that are significant for food safety. The control parameters include various factors such as time of harvesting, temperature and moisture during storage, selection of agricultural products prior to processing, decontamination conditions, addition of chemicals at final product storage ((Sango, 1995).
…
