Sauces are among the most typical accompaniments to our dishes. They can make any seemingly boring and unappealing recipe truly delicious. This makes them one of the most frequently used resources in our kitchens.

Why are we telling you this? Because if you are involved in or planning to start the production and sale of gourmet sauces in preserves, this content will be of interest to you.

We’ll detail the steps to follow when pasteurizing or sterilizing these foods. However, the sauces we’ll focus on here are special—handcrafted preserves made with high-quality ingredients and free from preservatives and artificial coloring.

Sauces and sofritos: The base for stews or the perfect garnish for any dish

Preparing any sauce is a labor-intensive process that often requires more time than we might have. That’s why gourmet sauces in preserves are an excellent alternative when time is short or cooking isn’t appealing. Like soups, broths, ready-to-eat meals, and purees in preserves, packaged sauces offer several benefits:

Healthy eating: A 2017 study by the University of Barcelona and the Center for Biomedical Research in the Network for Physiopathology of Obesity and Nutrition (CIBEROBN) showed that the synergy between sofrito ingredients (tomato, olive oil, onion, and garlic) and cooking times enhances their health benefits.
Reducing waste: They allow for the use of seasonal vegetables, leftovers, or produce that doesn’t sell due to size or appearance.

Sauces and sofritos are primarily made with vegetables, and therefore, they carry the nutritional benefits of these ingredients. Discover more details about these ingredients in our article about vegetable sterilization.

Consumption of sauces and sofritos

If you believe that all packaged sauces and sofritos are filled with artificial additives and can’t provide the same nutrients and minerals as homemade recipes, it’s time to reconsider. Packaged foods don’t always need preservatives. Want to know why? We explain it in this article about the myths surrounding preserved foods.

Here, we focus exclusively on gourmet sauces and sofritos—not industrial ones. While these gourmet preserves are free of artificial preservatives and colorants, it’s essential not to base your entire diet on them, as they might contain more sugar or salt than homemade alternatives.

Some studies suggest that sofrito is healthier than one might initially think. Even dietary guidelines for healthy eating recommend incorporating sofrito (made with crushed tomatoes, garlic, onion or leek, and slowly cooked in olive oil) into your meals at least twice a week. However, that doesn’t mean you should rely solely on sofritos for nutrition.

Raw vegetables should remain an essential part of your diet. The same applies to sauces—they may be delicious, but not every dish needs to be garnished with one. Sometimes, a drizzle of olive oil can be both a tasty and healthier alternative.

That said, the market for sauces and sofritos is booming. Factors like convenience, flavor variety, the rise of e-commerce, and culinary experimentation are driving demand for these products. According to a 2023 market study by Global Market Insights, the sauces market is projected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.6% through 2032. Premium and gourmet sauces and sofritos, in particular, are seeing rising demand among consumers seeking high-quality, indulgent culinary experiences.

Types of sauces and sofritos

Before we continue, let’s clarify some basic concepts. A sofrito is a flavor base added to stews, made from various ingredients always fried in oil—commonly including onion, leek, celery, carrot, or garlic, among others. A sauce, on the other hand, is a mixture of various edible ingredients that are blended and dissolved to season food.

Sofrito serves as the foundation for any sauce or stew, especially in Mediterranean cuisine. It is prepared by slowly cooking finely chopped vegetables, allowing them to release their water and concentrate their flavors without toasting or caramelizing them. In contrast, a sauce functions primarily as a topping or seasoning.

Remember:

Although the most typical sofritos and sauces are tomato-based and may seem the same, they are not. In tomato sauce, the pulp of the tomato is cooked, while in tomato sofrito or fried tomato, the pulp is fried in oil.

Regarding sofritos, two main types can be distinguished, both having onion, celery, and carrot as their primary ingredients, but serving different purposes:

French sofrito or mirepoix, used in the preparation of soups and stews.
Italian sofrito, used for making tomato sauces.

On the other hand, sauces are classified into two main groups:

Basic international sauces, categorized into sauces made from kitchen stocks, emulsified sauces, and vegetable-based sauces.
Derivative sauces, prepared from basic sauces.

Gourmet sauces and sofritos

As mentioned earlier, the most common sauces and sofritos found in supermarkets or gourmet stores are tomato-based. However, there is now a wide variety of artisanally crafted gourmet sauces made with top-quality ingredients available on the market.

In addition to tomato sofritos, you can find options like:

Plain or caramelized onion
Onion and garlic
Onion, bell pepper and garlic
Shrimp

When it comes to sauces, the range is even broader, offering options such as:

Bolognese
Pesto
Carbonara
Curry
Barbecue
Spicy

Remember, to commercialize your gourmet sofritos and sauces in preserves, you must pasteurize or sterilize them in compliance with current health and hygiene regulations to ensure they are safe for consumption.

Did you know that frying and sautéing are not exactly the same?

Although often used interchangeably, they have distinct differences. According to the dictionary, frying is the technique of cooking raw food until it’s ready to eat by immersing it in hot oil or fat for the required time. This method typically uses at least 2 to 3 centimeters of oil or fat (vegetable or animal) and temperatures ranging from 120 to 180°C (248 to 356°F). Sautéing, on the other hand, involves lightly cooking food in a small amount of oil at a lower temperature, generally below 100°C (212°F).

How to prepare gourmet sauces and sofritos

To create any gourmet sauce or sofrito, the first step is to thoroughly clean the ingredients, chop them, and cook them to taste. Finally, seal them hermetically and apply a thermal treatment to ensure proper preservation.

One way to neutralize the acidity of the tomato flavor in any sauce or sofrito without using sugar is to add baking soda during cooking. Just add a small amount, as too much can alter the product’s taste.

And remember, our autoclaves also allow food cooking, so we recommend not fully cooking your sauces and sofritos beforehand. Let them finish cooking inside the autoclave to prevent overcooking.

Sterilization of sauces and sofritos

Gourmet sauces and sofritos in preserves are typically sterilized, which is why you’ll always find them stored at room temperature in supermarkets. Sterilization in an autoclave is a thermal process that eliminates 100% of microorganisms, allowing the product to have an extended shelf life without refrigeration.

In contrast, pasteurization uses a lower temperature, below 100°C, for a specific amount of time. This process reduces most of the product’s microbial load without significantly affecting its quality. However, this means the product must be refrigerated during distribution and storage and has a shorter shelf life, usually up to 3 months.

Remember:

When pasteurizing or sterilizing your preserved sauces and sofritos, you must comply with current legislation on food safety, quality, and hygiene. To meet these standards, it is mandatory to apply a thermal treatment using professional equipment and to record the results of the treatment for each batch, just as our TERRA Food-Tech^® autoclaves do.

To determine the appropriate thermal treatment for your product and ensure its proper preservation, we recommend consulting a laboratory specializing in microbiological testing. At TERRA Food-Tech^®, we offer our clients a food consultancy service to help guarantee the quality and safety of their products.

pH of gourmet sauces and sofritos

The pH of a food product determines the temperature and time required during thermal processing, as it affects how easily microorganisms can grow within it. A lower pH indicates higher acidity, reducing the likelihood of microbial growth, whereas a higher pH means less acidity and a greater chance of microorganism proliferation.

There is no specific guide for the typical pH values of sauces and sofritos, as it largely depends on the ingredients used. However, as a general reference, these products tend to have a pH between 3.5 and 4.5. For sofritos or sauces containing tomatoes, it’s important to note that the pH of tomatoes ranges from 4.0 to 4.5, making them acidic and with a naturally low pH.

F₀-P₀ values for sterilization of sauces and sofritos

When preparing any gourmet preserve, it is crucial to maintain the organoleptic and nutritional quality of the product, avoiding significant changes in texture, taste, aroma, and color. During pasteurization or sterilization—processes that prolong shelf life by subjecting the product to high temperatures for a specific duration—these properties may be altered.

For sauces and sofritos with a pH below 4.5 (pH <4.5), a low-temperature sterilization process (P₀) is generally applied. This involves heating the product to 85-90ºC for 10 to 40 minutes. This method ensures slow cooking while applying the thermal treatment, resulting in more flavorful sofritos and sauces. Conversely, if the pH of the product exceeds 4.5 (pH >4.5), a higher-temperature sterilization process (F₀) is required, typically performed at 113-118ºC for 6 to 7 minutes.

The F₀ and P₀ thermal values depend on the type of product, its ingredients, and its prior preparation. To determine the most suitable values for your recipe, it is essential to measure the pH of each ingredient, conduct subsequent controls to evaluate the entire process, and select the F₀-P₀ values most appropriate for your preserve.

We remind you that when pasteurizing or sterilizing a food product with a variety of ingredients, it is essential to focus on the one with the highest potential microbial load. This allows you to adjust the thermal treatment parameters according to its characteristics, ensuring the product’s safe consumption.

Common challenges in sterilizing gourmet sauces and sofritos

The primary difficulty in sterilizing sauces or sofritos lies in avoiding overcooking the product or exposing it to excessively high temperatures for too long. This can lead to undesirable nutritional and organoleptic changes. Therefore, it is recommended to finish cooking the product inside the autoclave and to carefully monitor its acidity level.

Managing pH levels: If the pH is below 4.5, a gentle sterilization process can be applied to maintain the product’s characteristics while achieving a delightful result. This may be challenging depending on the ingredients used, but adding a small amount of lemon juice or citric acid can help lower the pH effectively.
Preserving texture: Loss of texture, such as reduced viscosity, can occur during thermal treatment. To prevent this, modified starches resistant to high temperatures can be used to maintain the product’s consistency.
Temperature distribution in cylindrical containers: During thermal processing, liquid movement within the container occurs as hot liquid rises and cooler liquid sinks. To accurately monitor the applied temperature, it is crucial to position the flexible probe correctly at the thermal center of the product, approximately 1/3 from the base of the container. This is because, in liquids, the geometric center and thermal center differ.
Microbial concerns: The most common microorganisms that proliferate in sauces and sofritos are molds, which develop at room temperature and appear with a cotton-like texture. For bacteria, Salmonella, E. coli, and Staphylococcus aureus are the main concerns. To ensure the safety and preservation of your gourmet sofrito or sauce, carefully measuring the pH is essential for determining and applying the appropriate thermal treatment.

By addressing these challenges, you can maintain the quality, safety, and flavor of your gourmet sauces and sofritos while ensuring their shelf stability.

Recommended containers for sterilizing sauces and sofritos

The most commonly used containers for the commercialization and sterilization of sofritos and sauces are glass jars, pouches, and cans.

For glass jars: Remember to always leave a small empty space between the food and the lid when filling the jar. This ensures there is room for the food to expand during the thermal treatment and guarantees a proper seal.
Choosing the right container: If you’re considering which type of container to use for your gourmet sofritos and sauces, we recommend reviewing a detailed guide comparing the pros and cons of each type of container. This will help you make an informed decision based on your needs and goals.

At TERRA Food-Tech^®, we ensure that our autoclaves are suitable for processing all types of containers, giving you flexibility and reliability in your production process.

Sterilizing sauces and sofritos with TERRA Food-Tech^® autoclaves

TERRA Food-Tech^® autoclaves allow for cooking products before applying thermal treatments such as pasteurization or sterilization. Thanks to the counter-pressure system they generate, they prevent container deformation. To avoid overcooking, these autoclaves are equipped with a rapid cooling system that activates once the thermal treatment is complete.

If you are looking for reliability, safety, and efficiency in producing your gourmet preserves, a food autoclave is ideal.

With TERRA Food-Tech^® autoclaves, you can not only sterilize but also cook and pasteurize—three functions in one device.

Using our food autoclaves ensures compliance with safety, quality, and hygiene regulations for canned foods and prepared dishes. They are essential for those who wish to market these products.

TERRA Food-Tech^® autoclaves were created to meet the needs of micro-entrepreneurs, chefs, cooks, farmers, livestock producers, and social enterprises who have made gourmet preserves their life’s work.

Success stories of gourmet sauces and sofritos in preserves

There are many types of gourmet sauces and sofritos available in preserves. As you know, they offer a practical and healthy alternative. They also present a great business opportunity for entrepreneurs and an option worth considering for restaurateurs who wish to make the most of their raw ingredient purchases—cooking and preserving them to maintain perfect condition for later use in their own restaurants or for resale to customers or third parties.

If you’d like to learn about the experiences of some of our clients who produce gourmet sofritos and sauces in preserves, don’t miss our success stories section.

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