Meat Sauce: Tomato Puree

Tomato puree is a thick liquid made from cooked, peeled, and seeded tomatoes. It is essentially a smoother, more concentrated form of tomato juice, created by pureeing the cooked tomatoes and often straining out the seeds and skins. It forms the base for many tomato-based sauces and dishes.

Manufacturers use tomato puree as a primary ingredient and flavor base in sauces, soups, stews, and casseroles. Its smooth texture and concentrated tomato flavor make it ideal for dishes like pasta sauces, chili, and gravies. It is commonly found in canned and frozen Italian dishes, Mexican foods, and soups.

Tomato puree is generally recognized as safe (GRAS) by the FDA. It is a good source of vitamins A and C, and antioxidants like lycopene. No specific regulatory bodies like JECFA or EFSA have set limits for tomato puree itself, as it is considered a food ingredient. High intake of tomatoes and tomato products is associated with various health benefits, though research is ongoing.