TOMATO
PRODUCTS
METHODS

SAND AND INORGANIC RESIDUE
February, 1968

PROCEDURE
Tomato Juice ~ use without diluting.

Tomatoes - pour contents of the container over a screen and wash
with a fine spray - turning the material over while spraying. Catch
washings in a suitable container.

Tomato Products - (Incoming Concentrated Tomato Juice) - dilute con-
tents of the container with water to 6% total solids.
(See Inspection Aid No. 77)

1) Pour 600 ml. sample into a 1 liter beaker.

2) Fill beaker with water, stir well, remove spoon and
agitate with a rotary motion.

3) Allow to settle for two minutes or longer, if necessary,
and decant three-fourths of the liquid.

4) Add at least 500 ml. of water and repeat process (2 and 3
above) until liquid is fairly clear.

5) Continue adding the juice or tomato product in such portions
and repeating the process until entire contents of the con-
tainer are used.

Thoroughly rinse the container and add the rinse water to
the beaker.

6) Agitate, allow to settle, and decant all but about 150 ml.
of the liquid.

7) Swirl the remainder, causing the sand or grit to collect
in a circle in the center of the bottom of the beaker.

8) Examine aliquot for presence of sand or grit.
The United States Standards for Canned Tomatoes and Tomato Products
do not specifically mention sand (or grit) under the factor of
Absence of Defects.
If the amount of sand recovered is noticeably coarse or of such
quantity that the appearance or edibility of the product is

adversely affected to a serious degree, the product is designated:

"GRADE NOT CERTIFIED - - Foreign Material -- Sand."


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USDA

METHODS OF ANALYSES

for

TOMATO PRODUCTS

Sand and Qnorganic Residue

FOR USE OF USDA PROCESSED FOODS INSPECTORS

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
CONSUMER AND MARKETING SERVICE

FRUIT AND VEGETABLE DIVISION
PROCESSED PRODUCTS STANDARDIZATION AND INSPECTION BRANCH



These instructions are designed primarily for Processed
Fruit and Vegetable Inspectors of the U. S. Department of
Agriculture. They are not intended to be a comprehensive
treatise on the subject but give background information
and guide-lines to assist in the uniform application and
interpretation of USDA grade standards and other similar
specifications.

These instructions are revised as necessary without public
notice and no mailing list is maintained as a public
advisory of such changes.

The citation of any data, criteria, techniques, illustrations,
copyrighted material, or pictorial representation accredited
to private authorship is used with the permission of the
individuals or sources cited. Unless a specific accreditation
is referenced, the information herein has been compiled and/or
developed from sources available to the public as well as from
technical knowledge of personnel in the Department.

Compliance with the suggested guide-lines and other pertinent
information herein does not excuse any one from failure to
comply with the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act or any
other applicable Federal or State laws and/or regulations.

Except for official USDA inspection aids or devices and color
guides (or standards) produced under license of the Department,
the mention of any supplier, patented device, product, brand-
nate, or equipment does not imply endorsement by the Department
over any other similar, or equally effective, material.

Information contained in this instruction is available to the
public. Inquiries as to availability of portions of this
instruction and copying or reproduction privileges should be
addressed to:

Chief

Processed Products Standardization
and Inspection Branch

Fruit and Vegetable Division, C&MS

U. S. Department of Agriculture

Washington, Dy C. 20250

February, 1968


TOMATO

PRODUCTS

METHODS SAND AND INORGANIC RESIDUE
February, 1968

SAND AND INORGANIC RESIDUE

INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND

Tomatoes, properly sorted, washed, prepared and processed, should
be free of sand or similar gritty material, small pebbles or mud
balls. However, any breakdowns of efficiency in any of these
operations can cause the presence of such material in peeled
tomatoes as well as other tomato products, principally tomato juice.

In-Plant inspectors should be alert to such conditions. Prime
examples of some of the possible breakdowns or failures would be:

1) Use of tomatoes heavily smeared with mud or tomatoes
which are cracked and embedded with dirt. (Particular
attention should be given to mechanically harvested
tomatoes).

2) Inadequate washing facilities, including insufficient
replenishing of re-circulated water and insufficient
numbers of final spray rinsings.

3) Inadequate draining of the tomatoes after washing.
4) Poor sorting.

When such conditions are noted in plants, inspectors should be
watchful for sand (and other contamination) in the finished items.

Heavy filth, sand and similar material may be most easily detected
in the bottom of tomato juice containers which have been emptied
of their contents prior to any agitating or mixing. Another suit-
able means is by careful examination of the grading tray after
allowing a few minutes for the product to settle and gently pouring
off the juice. Verification of suspected sand is often possible
by rubbing the surface of the grading tray with a spoon. The
presence of sand is evidenced by a "grating" feel or sensation,

The field method for estimating sand (or grit) specified herein is

used primarily for tomato juice, although it may be adapted for other
tomato products where such test is indicated.

el-