Tomato Ketchup Production Line with High Viscosity Cooking and Hot Filling for Customized Capacity

Complete Tomato Ketchup Manufacturing from Paste or Fresh Tomatoes

Our tomato ketchup production line produces restaurant-quality, smooth, glossy ketchup with consistent viscosity and bright red color. The line accepts tomato paste at 28 to 30 degrees Brix as raw material, or can integrate with our fresh tomato line for complete farm-to-bottle production. Capacities range from 500 kilograms per batch for small scale to continuous lines processing 5 to 20 tons per day of finished ketchup.

Core Equipment & Process Flow

Raw Material Preparation

When starting from tomato paste, the paste at 28 to 30 degrees Brix is diluted with water in a steam-jacketed mixing tank to achieve 12 to 14 degrees Brix. A high-speed disperser breaks down any agglomerates.

When starting from fresh tomatoes using an integrated line, fresh tomatoes are washed, crushed, and pulped. The resulting puree is directly fed to the ketchup cooking station without prior concentration.

Dry Ingredients Handling
Sugar at 15 to 25 percent of total solids, salt, spices such as onion powder, garlic powder and paprika, and preservatives like sodium benzoate or potassium sorbate are pre-mixed in a ribbon blender. A vacuum conveying system transfers the blend to the liquid mixing tank without dust.

High Viscosity Cooking – Steam Jacketed Kettle
The heart of the ketchup line is the steam jacketed kettle with anchor scraper agitator. Available from 500 liters to 5000 liters per batch. Cooking temperature is 85 to 95 degrees Celsius. Cooking time ranges from 20 to 40 minutes depending on viscosity target. Agitator speed is 20 to 40 RPM with Teflon scrapers to prevent burn-on.

During cooking, vinegar or citric acid is added to achieve pH of 3.8 to 4.2, which is critical for microbiological stability without high temperature.

Colloid Milling
After cooking, the hot ketchup passes through a colloid mill with adjustable rotor-stator gap of 50 to 200 microns. This step reduces particle size to under 50 microns, creates smooth glossy texture, and emulsifies oil-soluble flavors.

Deaeration & Homogenization
A vacuum deaerator removes entrapped air which prevents darkening and spoilage. A single-stage homogenizer at 150 to 200 bar ensures stable viscosity and prevents water separation.

Hot Filling – Glass or PET Bottles
The ketchup is filled at 85 to 90 degrees Celsius using hot filling method without need for post-fill sterilization. The filling system includes a piston or rotary valve filler designed for high viscosity products, an automatic capper with steam or air rinsing, an inversion tunnel to sterilize the cap interior, and a cooling tunnel with water sprays to bring bottle temperature down.

Labeling & Packing
A wraparound or shrink-sleeve labeler applies labels, followed by an automatic case packer and a palletizer.

Why Choose Our Ketchup Line?

Our anchor agitator with scrapers handles viscosity up to 50000 centipoise without burning. The recipe management system stores up to 100 formulas including spicy, organic, and no-sugar varieties. The steam jacket with insulation reduces heat loss by 25 percent for energy efficiency. The compact design requires only 30 to 50 square meters for a 500 liter batch line, making it suitable for restaurant chains or small factories. Removable agitator blades and a hinged kettle cover allow easy cleaning between batches.

Typical Buyers
Ketchup and barbecue sauce brands for private label or own brand production, restaurant chains making ketchup for their own outlets, co-packers and contract manufacturers, and startups launching gourmet or organic tomato sauce products.

Optional Add-ons
A tomato dice feeder for chunky ketchup or pasta sauce, a hot water circulation system for faster heating and cooling, and a capping torque tester with fill level inspector for quality control.

Contact us with your desired batch size in liters per batch and weekly production volume. We will supply a line layout, equipment list, and commercial offer within 48 hours.Complete Tomato Ketchup Manufacturing from Paste or Fresh Tomatoes

Our tomato ketchup production line produces restaurant-quality, smooth, glossy ketchup with consistent viscosity and bright red color. The line accepts tomato paste at 28 to 30 degrees Brix as raw material, or can integrate with our fresh tomato line for complete farm-to-bottle production. Capacities range from 500 kilograms per batch for small scale to continuous lines processing 5 to 20 tons per day of finished ketchup.

Core Equipment & Process Flow

Raw Material Preparation

When starting from tomato paste, the paste at 28 to 30 degrees Brix is diluted with water in a steam-jacketed mixing tank to achieve 12 to 14 degrees Brix. A high-speed disperser breaks down any agglomerates.

When starting from fresh tomatoes using an integrated line, fresh tomatoes are washed, crushed, and pulped. The resulting puree is directly fed to the ketchup cooking station without prior concentration.

Dry Ingredients Handling
Sugar at 15 to 25 percent of total solids, salt, spices such as onion powder, garlic powder and paprika, and preservatives like sodium benzoate or potassium sorbate are pre-mixed in a ribbon blender. A vacuum conveying system transfers the blend to the liquid mixing tank without dust.

High Viscosity Cooking – Steam Jacketed Kettle
The heart of the ketchup line is the steam jacketed kettle with anchor scraper agitator. Available from 500 liters to 5000 liters per batch. Cooking temperature is 85 to 95 degrees Celsius. Cooking time ranges from 20 to 40 minutes depending on viscosity target. Agitator speed is 20 to 40 RPM with Teflon scrapers to prevent burn-on.

During cooking, vinegar or citric acid is added to achieve pH of 3.8 to 4.2, which is critical for microbiological stability without high temperature.

Colloid Milling
After cooking, the hot ketchup passes through a colloid mill with adjustable rotor-stator gap of 50 to 200 microns. This step reduces particle size to under 50 microns, creates smooth glossy texture, and emulsifies oil-soluble flavors.

Deaeration & Homogenization
A vacuum deaerator removes entrapped air which prevents darkening and spoilage. A single-stage homogenizer at 150 to 200 bar ensures stable viscosity and prevents water separation.

Hot Filling – Glass or PET Bottles
The ketchup is filled at 85 to 90 degrees Celsius using hot filling method without need for post-fill sterilization. The filling system includes a piston or rotary valve filler designed for high viscosity products, an automatic capper with steam or air rinsing, an inversion tunnel to sterilize the cap interior, and a cooling tunnel with water sprays to bring bottle temperature down.

Labeling & Packing
A wraparound or shrink-sleeve labeler applies labels, followed by an automatic case packer and a palletizer.

Why Choose Our Ketchup Line?

Our anchor agitator with scrapers handles viscosity up to 50000 centipoise without burning. The recipe management system stores up to 100 formulas including spicy, organic, and no-sugar varieties. The steam jacket with insulation reduces heat loss by 25 percent for energy efficiency. The compact design requires only 30 to 50 square meters for a 500 liter batch line, making it suitable for restaurant chains or small factories. Removable agitator blades and a hinged kettle cover allow easy cleaning between batches.

Typical Buyers
Ketchup and barbecue sauce brands for private label or own brand production, restaurant chains making ketchup for their own outlets, co-packers and contract manufacturers, and startups launching gourmet or organic tomato sauce products.

Optional Add-ons
A tomato dice feeder for chunky ketchup or pasta sauce, a hot water circulation system for faster heating and cooling, and a capping torque tester with fill level inspector for quality control.

Contact us with your desired batch size in liters per batch and weekly production volume. We will supply a line layout, equipment list, and commercial offer within 48 hours.