(1).Thermally Processed Vegetable Soups (Canned, Bottled, flexible pack And/ Or Aseptically Packed) means unfermented but fermentable product, intended for direct consumption, prepared from juice/ pulp/puree of sound, mature vegetables, fresh, dehydrated, frozen or previously processed, singly or in combination, by blending with salt, nutritive sweeteners, spices and condiments and any other ingredients suitable to the product, cooked to a suitable consistency and processed by heat in an appropriate manner, before or after being sealed in a container, so as to prevent spoilage. It may be clear, turbid or cloudy.
(2).The product shall have total soluble solids (m/m) not less than 5.0 percent except for tomato soup where it shall be not less than 7.0 percent (w/ w).
(3).The product may contain food additives permitted in these Regulations and Appendices. The product shall conform to the microbiological requirements given in Appendix B.
(4).The container shall be well filled with the product and shall occupy not less than 90.0 percent of the water capacity of the container, when packed in the rigid containers. The water capacity of the container is the volume of distilled water at 20ºC which the sealed container is capable of holding when completely filled.