Tomato paste

Tomato paste is a very practical ingredient in many dishes. It’s like the strong flavor of fresh tomatoes, but in a thick, red paste. Origin: Tomatoes originally come from South America, but were brought to Europe many hundreds of years ago. Today tomatoes grow almost everywhere in the world. Tomato paste is made from these tomatoes: the fruits are cooked, sieved (that is, pressed through a sieve to remove skins and seeds) and then reduced until only the concentrated paste remains. This makes the tomato flavor very intense.

Growing regions
Tomatoes need warmth and lots of sun, so they grow particularly well in southern regions. Important growing regions are:

Imagine tomato fields as red seas of fruit shining under the sun. The more sun and warmth, the sweeter and more aromatic the tomatoes can become — and you can taste that later in the paste.

Available types and variants
Tomato paste is not just one thing. Here are the main variants you find in stores:

Availability and tips
You can get tomato paste almost everywhere: supermarkets, health food stores, farmers’ markets and online. In hot summer months there are often more fresh tomatoes, but tomato paste is available year-round because it has a long shelf life when the can is still sealed. A tip: after opening store in the refrigerator and transfer to a clean jar, then it will keep longer.

When you cook, choose double paste for a strong flavor in small amounts, and passata when you want a lighter, more fluid base. That way you’ll always find the right variant for your dish, whether pasta, soup or pizza.

Tomato paste is a concentrated product made from ripe tomatoes by thermal treatment and evaporation of water. It serves as a flavor-intense base ingredient in the kitchen and as a primary ingredient in processed foods. Technically, it is a pasty preparation with a high proportion of soluble solids that sustainably influence the aroma, color and texture of dishes.

Manufacturing process: Industrial production begins with washing and crushing the fruit, followed by mechanical separation of skins and seeds. The tomato mash is heated to inactivate enzymes and ensure microbiological safety, and then evaporated under vacuum or atmospheric pressure until the desired solids concentration is reached. Depending on the desired end product, different concentration grades are produced and labeled as “single”, “double” or “triple concentrate”. After evaporation, homogenization and, if necessary, pasteurization or sterilization take place for preservation. In artisanal production the process can be simpler, often without industrial filtration.

Chemical composition and constituents: Tomato paste contains mainly water and dissolved solids, which include sugars, organic acids, fiber, proteins and minerals. Typical components are:

Nutritional values (typical ranges): Tomato paste provides concentrated energy and nutrients per 100 g. Values vary depending on concentration level; common approximate values are about 60–90 kcal, 3–5 g protein, less than 1 g fat, 15–25 g carbohydrates including fiber and sugars, as well as notable amounts of potassium and lycopene. Manufacturer information should be used for precise nutritional labeling.

Physical and chemical properties: The texture is viscous to pasty, the color an intense red to dark red. Heating leads to isomerization of lycopene (trans → cis), increasing its bioavailability. At the same time the content of heat-sensitive vitamins like vitamin C decreases. The reduced water activity and the acidic pH contribute to microbiological stability.

Health aspects: Tomato paste is a concentrated source of lycopene and other secondary plant compounds that have been associated in epidemiological studies with positive effects on cardiovascular health and as potentially protective against certain cancers. Such associations are complex and should not be taken as definitive therapeutic claims. Thermal processing reduces some heat-sensitive nutrients while making other compounds more available. Additives such as salt or sugar can alter the nutritional value.

Food safety and storage: Unopened, sterile-processed products have a long shelf life; opened tubes or jars should be stored in the refrigerator and consumed within a few days to weeks. The combination of low pH and preservative processing minimizes the risk of foodborne infections.

In practice, tomato paste is a technologically valuable food with specific sensory and functional properties, whose usefulness derives from concentration, stability and the high content of lipophilic antioxidants such as lycopene.