CULTURE

The Generale Alimentaire JOUDA selects the best tomatoes and chooses the appropriate varieties for canning.

The cultivation is entrusted to select farmers (according to specific criteria) which are assisted and accompanied during the cultivation period by our agricultural engineers in order to guarantee the crops conformity to the standards in effect.

"JOUDA" GF starts from the end of january by distributing the tomatoes seeds to the farmers and nurseries for the production of the plants that will be replanted later into parcels divided upon half-precocious zones in the center of Tunisia, which guarantees a supply of tomatoes during July and August.

Fertilizers and phyto-sanitary treatment products are distributed to the farmes according to a specific program with a pesticides best pratices guidebook in order to guarantee the healthness of the crops (Absence of chemical product residue traces).

CROP

tomatoes crop is held between July and August, the tomatoes reach maturity.

The tomatoes are carried into trucks towards our plant.

RECEIPT

Upon receipt, the tomatoes are subject to a control by our laboratories (see quality control). Only the products in accordance with the standards in effect are accepted.

The accepted tomatoes are unloaded and washed with a strong water jet in order to remove the remainder of soil, mud and little leaves. The tomatoes are decated from basin to basin into a flood of running water that takes the last dirtinesses.

SORTING

After washing, the tomatoes are dispatched towards the sort chain where they are rinsed by means of water showers and sorted manually by workers who remove the damaged tomatoes and the leaves and other residual dirtiness.

GRINDING AND JUICE EXTRACTION

The sorted tomatoes move into a grinder at a temperature in the order of 70°c in order to get a blend of juice, seeds and epidermis, this blend passes through a sieve that carries out the juice seperation.

CONCENTRATION AND PASTEURIZATION

The juice passes into an evaporator for water extraction in order to obtain a concentrated tomato puree in the order of 28% minimum, the product passes then into pasteurization at a temparature of 92°C.

DOSAGE AND CRIMPING

Th product is filled into metallic cans (see the different formats). These cans pass later in a crimper. (Crimp control)

PASTEURIZATION

The filled cans pass through a pasteurization tunnel at a temperature of 97°C. This thermal treatment allows to preserve the product from all bacteria without spoiling its nutritional value.

Then the cans are rapidly cooled down in order to avoid that the concentred tomato puree goes on heating.

PACKAGING

Leaving the tunnel, the cans are identified by marking a number lot which specifies the date and hour of manufacturing (in order to guarantee the treacability).
These cans are put into cartons and palets.

STORAGE AND DELIVERY

The product is stored into warehouses under control ready to be distributed.