FAQ – How Do I Measure Tomato Product Color?
Answer:
Tomato product color is best measured using an objective spectrophotometer with industry-standard 45°/0° geometry and tomato-specific scales such as Tomato Paste Score (TPS), Tomato Sauce Score (TSS), Tomato Catsup Score (TCS), Tomato Juice Score (TJS), Fresh Tomato Color Index (FTCI), a/b Ratio, and Lycopene Index. The recommended HunterLab solution is the ColorFlex® L2 Tomato.
How Much Does It Cost?
The ColorFlex® L2 Tomato starts at approximately $15,383 and includes everything required to begin measuring tomato products immediately, including instrument calibration standards, tomato-specific scales and indices, software, and the HunterLab Tomato Certified Reference Standard, the industry's only certified tomato reference standard and direct successor to the historical USDA, UC Davis, and BCR tomato standards. Unlike general-purpose color instruments, the ColorFlex L2 Tomato is purpose-built for tomato processing applications and arrives ready for implementation.
Best Practices for Measuring Tomato Products
- Utilize industry-standard 45°/0° measurement geometry.
- Standardize sample preparation and measurement procedures.
- Measure incoming tomatoes, in-process materials, and finished products.
- Utilize tomato-specific scales and indices rather than general-purpose color values alone.
- Establish objective color standards and tolerances.
- Monitor trends over time to identify changes caused by raw material variation, processing conditions, or product degradation.
- Standardize all facilities and suppliers on a common tomato reference standard.
Why Measure Tomato Products?
Color is one of the most important quality attributes in tomato products because it directly influences consumer perception, product grading, and market value. Objective color measurement helps processors:
- Verify product quality and consistency.
- Monitor tomato maturity and ripeness.
- Estimate lycopene concentration.
- Support USDA grading and quality classification programs.
- Improve batch-to-batch consistency.
- Reduce subjective visual evaluations.
- Detect process variation before products fall outside specification.
- Improve communication between suppliers, processors, and customers.
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To learn more about Color and Color Science in industrial QC applications, click here: Fundamentals of Color and Appearance