Valorisation of tomato dried peels powder as thickening agent in tomato purees.

Tomato pomade, consisting of peels and seeds, represents 3-4% of fresh fruit weight. If it remains a waste, it gives rise to disposal problems and aggravate environmental pollution. Our aim was to evaluate the potential of dried peels powder as thickening ingredient in commercial tomato purées. Dried peels were ground in fine and rough sizes and physic-chemically characterized. Samples of creamy and rustic purées with tomato fine and rough dried peels powders at different percentages (0.5-5.0%) were prepared and tested for rheological properties and organoleptic characteristics (colour and flavour). The addiction of 3.0% of fine and 1.0% of rough dried peels powder to rustic purees, and 2.0% of fine dried peels powder to creamy purees resulted as the best combination to reduce the impact of industrial evaporation. The proposed approach could transform a waste in a value-added product to be reused, even in the producer’s supply chain itself.