If you have ever read a tomato paste specification sheet or supplier quote, you have likely seen the abbreviation NTSS followed by a percentage. It appears on every product spec, every Certificate of Analysis, and every pricing conversation in industrial tomato sourcing. Yet the term itself is rarely explained clearly. Buyers are often expected to know what it means and how it affects their purchase, even when they are encountering it for the first time.
Understanding NTSS in tomato paste matters because it influences far more than product description. It drives pricing, shipping economics, recipe formulation, and viscosity targets. A buyer who knows how to read NTSS values can ask the right questions, compare suppliers accurately, and make sourcing decisions that lower cost without sacrificing finished product quality.
At One Source Food Solutions, we work with food manufacturers, co-packers, and private label brands sourcing tomato paste, purees, and concentrates across the full NTSS range. We help buyers navigate the technical and commercial dimensions of soluble solids so that procurement decisions align with both production needs and cost objectives.
If your organization is evaluating tomato paste options and wants clarity on NTSS, contact One Source Food Solutions to discuss what fits your operation.
Quick Answer: What NTSS Means in Tomato Paste
NTSS stands for Natural Tomato Soluble Solids and represents the percentage of dissolved tomato solids in a finished concentrate. A 31% NTSS paste delivers 31 pounds of tomato solid per 100 pounds of product; a 24% NTSS paste delivers 24 pounds per 100. The higher the NTSS, the more concentrated the product and the less water you are paying to ship.
How NTSS Is Measured and Where the Standard Comes From
NTSS measurement is governed by USDA Agricultural Marketing Service grading standards for canned tomato paste, with laboratory testing performed through the refractive index method codified in AOAC Official Method 970.59. Because the methodology is harmonized across the U.S. tomato industry, NTSS results from one processor can be compared directly with results from another when both follow the same standard.
NTSS is a measurement primarily used in the United States. International suppliers more commonly report degrees Brix, which captures soluble solids broadly across food products. For tomato concentrates, the two values track very closely but are not always identical. U.S. buyers sourcing from international suppliers should confirm which measurement appears on incoming documentation and request conversion when needed.
NTSS Standards Across Tomato Concentrate Categories
The FDA Standards of Identity for Tomato Concentrates (21 CFR § 155.191) establish the legal classification boundary between tomato puree and tomato paste at 24% NTSS. Within the puree category, USDA Grade Standards for Canned Tomato Puree further subdivide the range by concentration.
For tomato puree, four concentration tiers apply:
- Light Puree: 8% to 10.2%
- Medium Puree: 10.2% to 11.3%
- Heavy Puree: 11.3% to 15.0%
- Extra Heavy Puree: 15.0% to 24.0%
Once concentration crosses the 24% threshold, the product is no longer puree and becomes tomato paste under the classification rules. Standard canned and pouch paste typically lands between 24% and 26%. Bulk aseptic hot break tomato paste in drums and bins is commonly produced at 31%, with cold break formats reaching 36% to 37% when buyers require maximum concentration for low-water-addition applications.
Our canned fancy tomato puree reflects the puree range under this framework, while our bulk aseptic paste lines sit at the higher end of the paste category preferred by industrial producers.
Why NTSS Matters in Procurement
NTSS is not just a technical specification. It directly affects three procurement variables that influence the cost and performance of finished products.
NTSS Affects Pricing and Freight Economics
When a buyer ships paste at higher concentration, the freight cost per pound of actual tomato solid drops. A truckload of 31% paste carries roughly 29% more tomato solid than the same truckload of 24% paste, because the difference is water, and water is heavy.
This is the core reason industrial buyers operating at scale routinely choose 31% concentrate in drums or bins and dilute on site before use. Adding water at the production facility, where water is essentially free, beats paying long-haul freight on water that came pre-mixed from the processor. For high-volume operations sourcing across long distances, the math typically favors the concentrated format by a meaningful margin.
NTSS Affects Recipe Formulation and Yield
Swapping between concentration levels without recalculating the recipe creates downstream problems. A sauce formulated against 24% paste will run thinner and weaker if 31% paste is added at the same volume; the reverse swap produces a sauce that is too thick and over-concentrated.
Production teams that track NTSS at intake adjust water additions precisely, hold finished product specifications steady across lots, and forecast batch yields without surprises. Teams that treat NTSS as an afterthought tend to discover the impact only when a finished product fails QA or a customer complaint flags an inconsistent batch.
NTSS Affects Viscosity and Texture
Concentration drives consistency at constant temperature, which matters for sauces, ketchups, soups, and ready meals where finished texture is a defining quality attribute. A finished product spec that calls for a Bostwick reading in a particular window must account for the NTSS of the incoming paste, because the relationship between solids and flow rate is direct.
Processing equipment also reads concentration. Pumps, fillers, and mixing systems calibrated around one viscosity profile may struggle or run inefficiently with another. Before changing suppliers or pack formats, production engineers should verify that existing equipment can handle the target NTSS without re-tuning.
How to Use NTSS When Comparing Tomato Paste Suppliers
NTSS belongs on every quote a buyer reviews. A price-per-pound comparison without it tells you nothing useful, because two quotes at different NTSS values are not measuring the same thing. Before ranking suppliers on cost, normalize everything to a per-pound-of-solids basis.
Several practical questions help buyers use NTSS effectively in supplier evaluation:
- What NTSS target does each supplier offer, and what tolerance applies around it?
- Are the quoted prices already adjusted for NTSS differences, or do they need to be normalized before comparison?
- Does the supplier provide a Certificate of Analysis (COA) with each shipment documenting actual NTSS performance against the agreed target?
- What is the supplier’s lot-to-lot NTSS variability over the past year, and how do they handle out-of-spec shipments?
- Does the supplier report Bostwick consistency alongside NTSS, so viscosity and concentration can be evaluated together?
For buyers weighing the hot break versus cold break tomato paste decision, NTSS becomes one factor alongside processing method, color, and pH. The full combination determines which paste fits a particular application.
Buyer questions around bulk versus canned format choices, dilution math, and pricing implications are also addressed on our NTSS and tomato paste FAQ.
Connect With One Source Food Solutions
NTSS is one of the most consequential numbers on a tomato paste spec sheet, yet it remains poorly explained across the industry. Buyers who learn to read it gain a real advantage in supplier negotiations, production planning, and overall ingredient economics.
At One Source Food Solutions, we work with our partners to translate NTSS values into the procurement and operational decisions that actually move the bottom line. We supply the full concentrate spectrum, from bulk aseptic drums and bins for industrial buyers to canned and pouch formats for foodservice, backed by the documentation and technical support that procurement teams rely on.If your organization is comparing tomato paste quotes, considering a format change, or simply wants a clearer picture of what NTSS means for your business, call One Source Food Solutions at (360) 887-9430 or reach out through our contact page. We are here to help you source with confidence.