Eden Organic Tomatoes & Sauerkraut

Why amber glass for food?
The driving force at Eden for amber glass tomatoes was the avoidance of bisphenol-A (BPA) in high acid food cans, and failure of the can manufacturers to make BPA free cans for tomatoes.

Light damages color and flavor by causing chemical change. Photo-oxidation (light damage) is systemic in food stores where fluorescent lighting in particular, reduces food quality. Amber glass is difficult to get and more costly, but it best protects food. Eden offers the only tomatoes in the U.S.A. packed in amber glass, protecting flavor and nutrients from light damage; EDEN Organic Spaghetti Sauces, Pizza Pasta Sauce, Crushed Tomatoes, Crushed Tomatoes with Sweet Basil, and Crushed Tomatoes with Roasted Onion & Garlic.

Is the amber glass tomato jar lid BPA free?
A search for a lid for our glass jars again confirmed that 'there's no such thing as a perfect food package.' Regardless, we found the best there is.

The inside of the twist caps has two coats of sealer between the food and the metal of the cap. The first applied coating has BPA present. The second protective sealant does not, isolating the first coating from contact with the jar's contents.

Potential for migration of BPA is reduced by the following:

1. An additional protective vinyl base overcoat facing the food, isolating the epoxy BPA containing coating. The coating containing BPA can never be in contact with the food.
2. The cap's inner surface is separated from the food by an area of air/vacuum.
3. The surface area exposed to the food is substantially less for a twist cap than for canned goods.

Are Eden's canned tomatoes packed in cans with enamel lining that contain bisphenol-A?
Eden Organic Tomatoes are packed in steel cans coated with a baked on r-enamel lining. Due to the acidity of tomatoes, the lining is epoxy based and may contain a minute amount of bisphenol-A, it is however in the 'non detectable' range according to independent laboratory extraction tests. The test was based on a detection level at 5 ppb (parts per billion).

What is the shelf life of Eden Organic canned tomatoes?
Three years. A 'Best if Used by' date code is on the top of each jar or can. The code starts with the year's four digits followed by a two-letter month abbreviation and then the numbers of the day. Example: 2013MA05

How many tomato products does Eden offer?

• Two Spaghetti Sauces; salted and unsalted in 25 ounce amber glass
• Two Pizza Pasta Sauces in 14 ounce amber glass and 14.5 ounce can
• Ten Crushed Tomatoes; plain, with organic basil, and with roasted organic onion and garlic in 14 ounce and 25 ounce amber glass jars and 15 ounce and 28 ounce cans
• Five Diced Tomatoes; plain, with organic basil, with roasted onion and garlic, and with green chilies in 14.5 ounce and 28 ounce cans
• Two Whole Tomatoes; plain and with organic basil in 28 ounce cans

How are Eden Organic Whole Tomatoes peeled?
Eden Whole Tomatoes are hot water bathed before mechanically peeling. No lye is used. All of our other tomatoes are made with unpeeled to deliver the best taste and most nutrients.

Does Eden offer sodium free and low sodium canned tomatoes?
Yes. All Eden canned Tomatoes are made without salt added and are sodium free or low sodium.

Does Eden use citric acid or other processing aides in canned tomatoes?
No. Eden does not use citric acid, lye, or other processing aides.

Do Eden Tomatoes contain the antioxidant lycopene?
Yes. Crushed Tomatoes: 1.281mg; Diced Tomatoes: 4.55mg; Pizza Pasta Sauce: 12mg; and Spaghetti Sauce 12.875mg of lycopene per serving. Cooked tomatoes are higher in lycopene than raw because cooking concentrates the lycopene content. Tomatoes cooked with oil increases absorption of lycopene. Eden Pizza Pasta Sauce and Spaghetti Sauce are cooked with Eden Extra Virgin Olive Oil.

Are organic tomatoes higher in nutrients than non-organic?
A 10 year study conducted at the University of California "comparing organic tomatoes with standard produce found almost double the level of flavonoids - a type of antioxidant." They measured two flavonoids - quercetin and kaempferol and found, "that on average they were 79% and 97% higher respectively in the organic tomatoes than in the conventionally grown." The increase in flavonoids they say "is probably due to the absence of chemical fertilizers in organic farming."

What's so good about Eden Tomatoes?
Eden Tomatoes are organically grown on a third generation family farm in the Thames River Delta of southern Ontario, Canada. We use only the finest tomatoes ripened to redness by Nature alone. Immediately after harvesting they are taken to our processor just 45 miles away, where they are cleaned, uniformly small cut (referred to as fancy cut), and cooked within hours of harvest to capture their garden fresh flavor. The Canadian Inspector/Grader for canned tomatoes had this to say about Eden Organic Tomatoes, "The nicest tomatoes I've ever seen." They are rich in antioxidant vitamins C and A, provide 4 to 15 percent daily value of potassium and they're canned without salt added.

How is Eden Organic Sauerkraut made?
It's made from organic cabbage, chosen especially for its sauerkraut making qualities and fermented with Eden Sea Salt for six weeks, in stainless steel vats. During fermentation, the vats of sauerkraut are tended in a manner similar to a fine winery. Over seventy years of experience, traditional methods, and one family processing from soil to the jar gives Eden Organic Sauerkraut its homemade, old world character.

What is the shelf life of Eden Organic Sauerkraut?
Two years. Our production code is located on the top of the lid and reflects the Julian Date Code.

Date Code Example: 9137W 1SKOG 09:35

• The first digit (9) is the last digit of the year: 2009
• The next three digits (137) are the 137th day of the year 2009, which was May 17th.
• The following letter (W) is the shift code. W=morning, X=afternoon, Y=evening.
• The next five digits (1SKOG) are an abbreviation for Organic Sauerkraut.
• The last four digits (09:35) are the military time of day the Sauerkraut was canned, which was nine thirty five a.m.