Steam boilers play a core and irreplaceable role in the production process of tomato sauce factories. Their significance runs through the entire process from raw material pretreatment to finished product packaging, directly affecting product quality, production efficiency and energy consumption costs.

Steam can be used to heat the cleaning water, enhancing the cleaning effect and removing pesticide residues and soil impurities on the surface of tomatoes. Meanwhile, tomatoes that have been heated are more prone to breakage, which can enhance the efficiency and yield of subsequent pulping. Tomatoes contain pectinase, polyphenol oxidase and other enzymes, which can cause tomato sauce to brown, reduce viscosity and affect quality. Rapid preheating and enzyme inactivation of crushed tomatoes through steam heating can effectively inhibit the activity of enzymes, maintaining the color and taste of tomato sauce.

The high-temperature steam produced by the steam boiler is the main heating medium for the evaporator. Through heat exchange, the heat of the steam is transferred to the tomato pulp, causing the water to vaporize and separate rapidly, achieving concentration. The stability of steam pressure and temperature directly determines the concentration efficiency and product uniformity. A stable steam supply can prevent over-concentration or under-concentration, ensuring that the concentration and viscosity of each batch of tomato sauce are consistent.

Tomato sauce is an acidic food, but it still needs to be strictly sterilized to kill pathogenic and spoilage bacteria and extend its shelf life. High-temperature sterilization process is usually adopted. Steam is used to heat the tomato sauce to the specified sterilization temperature (such as 90-100℃) and maintain it for a certain period of time to thoroughly kill microorganisms. Compared with other heating methods, steam sterilization has uniform temperature and strong controllability. It can ensure the sterilization effect while reducing the damage to the nutritional components and flavor of tomato sauce.

In conclusion, the steam boiler is the “power heart” of a tomato sauce factory. Its performance and operational stability directly affect product quality, production continuity, and the economic benefits of the enterprise.