INTRODUCTION The common garden tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum) is botanically classified as a fruit, although, some persons think of it as a vegetable [1]. The United States Department of Agriculture [2] for example, defined it as a vegetable. Tomato is widely used as condiment or as food dietary supplement in various part of the world and also valuable in the food industry [3]. Canene-Adams et al. [4] reported that tomatoes are the fourth most commonly consumed fresh vegetable and the most frequently consumed canned vegetable in the American diet and showed the connection between increased tomato consumption and reduced risk for both cardiovascular disease and prostate cancer thus makes it valuable food source all over the world. In areas and situations where, in season, perfectly ripe tomatoes are not available, canned tomatoes are of alternative to prepare dishes such as sauce or pizza. The top uses of canned tomato are in Italian, chill, soup, pizza, stew, casseroles and Mexican dishes [3]. Canning is the process of placing food in containers or jars and heating the jars to a temperature that destroys microorganisms that could be a health hazard or cause the food to spoil [5]. This heating process also destroys enzymes that may cause undesirable changes in the flavor, colour and texture of the food. Canning is an important and safe method of food preservation if practiced properly. Canning is intended to destroy harmful microbes in food, however, with improper handling, cans become breeding grounds for microbes.