Canned tomato puree8–240.8–2.4
Canned tomato paste 404Tomato Enzymes and Flavor In addition to
tomato enzymes that affect texture, there are
enzymes that affect flavor: and in the case of
flavor, some initial enzyme activity can be
desirable. The fresh, “green”-smelling
molecules (hexanal and hexanol, p. 274) that
are an important element in ripe tomato flavor
are generated by the action of enzymes on
fatty acids when the fruit tissue is crushed,
either in the mouth or in the pot. Rapid
cooking to the boil minimizes this fresh flavor
element, while allowing the raw puree to sit at
room temperature — in a Mexican salsa, for
example — or only slowly heating it, will
cause the accumulation of these flavor
molecules in the puree. A method that home
cooks sometimes use is to halve or quarter
tomatoes, then bake them in a slow oven to
remove water, and finally cook them
relatively quickly into a sauce. This technique