TOMATO PASTE — CLOSEST TO HOMEMADE®

Information updated April 2024

Tomato Paste adds a delicious, deep and rich flavor . . . consider trying it in your next chili, stew, soup or Italian masterpiece!

HOMEMADE VERSION: Homemade Tomato Paste is simply Tomatoes and, possibly, Salt. Ingredients beyond Tomatoes and Salt are designated as Not In Kitchen™ >> Not In Kitchen ingredients are those ingredients we would not have in our kitchens is we were making this item at home from scratch.

According to Statista 2024, Conagra’s Hunt’s Brand is the #1 Tomato Paste in the U.S.

TOMATO PASTE COMPARISON: Let’s see what’s in #1 Hunt’s Basic Tomato Paste and Hunt’s Tomato Paste with Basil, Garlic & Oregano. (Source for ingredients: Conagra Hunt’s Web site 4/24). Both of these Hunt’s Tomato Pastes contain manufactured Citric Acid which is a Chemical Preservative made from Black Mold, Aspergillus Niger. (Source: U.S. National Library of Medicine at the National Institutes of Health).

The Basil, Garlic and Oregano Hunt’s Tomato Paste also contains two additional ingredients which are Not In Kitchen >> added Sugar and commercial Natural Flavors.

Q: In addition to the Citric Acid which appears in both Hunt’s Tomato Pastes, why are Sugar and Natural Flavors added to only the Basil, Garlic & Oregano version of Hunt’s Tomato Paste?

AS WITH MOST THINGS WE PUT INTO OUR BODIES, ACCUMULATION IS THE ISSSUE: It may not be a concern if we consume Manufactured Citric Acid or Natural Flavors or Sugar once a week, but when these are eaten over and over, day after day, that’s when issues relating to constant consumption appear. Consider checking your pantry and you may be shocked to see the overwhelming presence of ingredients such as Citric Acid and Natural Flavors, as well as hidden Sugars.

MANUFACTURED CITRIC ACID IS NOT FROM CITRUS: Once upon a time, all Citric Acid was from real citrus fruit, primarily lemons. Lemons’ preservative qualities are why we squeeze lemon onto items such as avocados and guacamole >> to keep them from reacting to the exposure to oxygen.

Today, almost all Citric Acid is Manufactured Citric Acid, mostly from China. Unless specifically noted as “Naturally Derived Citric Acid”, the Acid Preservative is manufactured in a lab using Aspergillus Niger, also known as Black Mold.

Find more information here in a study reported by the U.S. National Library of Medicine at the National Institutes of Health which is entitled, “The potential role of the common food additive Manufactured Citric Acid in eliciting significant inflammatory reactions contributing to serious disease states”.

From the report:

“The average consumer is under the impression that the added Citric Acid listed in the ingredients of prepared foods, beverages and vitamins is derived from natural sources such as lemons and limes. However, the ingredient list is quite misleading since the added Citric Acid is not procured through natural sources. More accurate terminology would list this substance as Manufactured Citric Acid.”

TOMATO PASTES WITH MANUFACTURED CITRIC ACID: In addition to Hunt’s, many commercial Tomato Pastes contain the added Chemical Preservative, Citric Acid, which is an FDA-recognized Chemical Preservative. (Source: U.S. Food and Drug Administration 2024)

Canned Tomato Pastes with added Citric Acid include — among others — Amazon-owned Amazon Fresh, Target Good & Gather, Del Monte Contadina and Walmart Great Value. (Sources: Brand Web sites 4/24)

ORGANIC TOMATO PASTES: Below are some Organic Tomato Pastes with added Citric Acid including — among others — Generals Mills Muir Glen Organic, Thrive Market, Conagra Hunt’s Organic and Walmart Organic Great Value. (Sources: Brand Web sites 4/24)

NOT ALWAYS THE SAME: Although the same Brand may make different versions of their Tomato Pastes, the ingredients are not always the same from item to item. (Sources: Brands Web sites 4/24)

For example, seen below left, Oro di Parma basic Tomato Paste is Closest To Homemade with simply Tomato Paste + Salt; meanwhile, the Oro di Parma Tomato Paste with Seasoned vegetables contains added vegetables in the form of Carrots, Celery and Onion but it also contains added Water, Sugar and Sunflower Oil which we don’t use in homemade Tomato Paste.

Below right, Amazon-owned Whole Foods 365 Tomato Paste in a can contains Citric Acid, but the tube is Closest To Homemade® with only Tomatoes + Salt.

CLOSEST TO HOMEMADE TOMATO PASTES: Here are a few Tomato Pastes which are Closest To Homemade with no added Preservatives, Sugar, Water or Oils. These include USDA Certified Organic Hlthpunk (they make several Closest To Homemade pastes/sauces), Oro di Parma, USDA Certified Organic and Certified Gluten-Free Bionaturae in a glass jar which is also Non-GMO Project Verifie and certified Glyphosate Residue Free, Amoré with only Non-GMO Project Certified Tomatoes, USDA Certified Organic Cento in a tube and Kirkland Signature in a can with only USDA Certified Organic Tomatoes. (Sources: Brand Web sites 4/24)

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