| Ketchup (or less commonly catsup) is a | | | | Modern ketchup emerged in the early |
| popular condiment, usually made with | | | | years of the 20th century, out of a |
| ripened tomatoes. The basic ingredients | | | | debate over the use of sodium benzoate |
| in modern ketchup are tomatoes, vinegar, | | | | as a preservative in condiments . Harvey |
| sugar, salt, allspice, cloves, and | | | | W. Wiley, the "father" of the Food and |
| cinnamon. Onions, celery, and other | | | | Drug Administration in the U.S., |
| vegetables are frequent additions. In | | | | challenged the safety of benzoate. In |
| the UK, Australia, South Africa, | | | | response, entrepreneurs, particularly |
| Malaysia, Iran and New Zealand, a | | | | Henry J. Heinz, pursued an alternative |
| vinegar-less variant of ketchup is | | | | recipe that eliminated the need for that |
| commonly referred to as tomato sauce or | | | | preservative. |
| red gravy. | | | | Prior to Heinz (and his fellow |
| Ketchup has not always been made out of | | | | innovators), commercial tomato ketchups |
| tomatoes. It started out as a general | | | | of that time were watery and thin, in |
| term for sauce, typically made of | | | | part due to the use of unripe tomatoes, |
| mushrooms or fish brine with herbs and | | | | which were low in pectin. They were also |
| spices. Mushroom ketchup is still | | | | less vinegary than modern ketchups; by |
| available in some countries, such as the | | | | pickling ripe tomatoes, the need for |
| UK. Some popular early main ingredients | | | | benzoate was eliminated without spoilage |
| include blueberry, anchovy, oyster, | | | | or degradation in flavor. But the |
| lobster, walnut, kidney bean, cucumber, | | | | changes driven by the desire to |
| cranberry, lemon, and grape. | | | | eliminate benzoate also produced changes |
| The largest major commercial | | | | that some experts (such as Andrew F. |
| distributors of ketchup in the United | | | | Smith ) believe were key to the |
| States are the H. J. Heinz Company, | | | | establishment of tomato ketchup as the |
| Hunt's, Del Monte Foods, and Brooks | | | | dominant American condiment. |
| Ketchup. | | | | Until Heinz, most commercial ketchups |
| Ketchup is often used for French fries | | | | appealed to two of the basic tastes: |
| ("chips" in many Commonwealth Nations), | | | | bitterness and saltiness. But the switch |
| hamburgers, sandwiches and grilled/fried | | | | to ripe tomatoes and more tomato solids |
| meats. Ketchup with mayonnaise forms the | | | | added savoriness, and the major increase |
| base of Thousand Island dressing. | | | | in the concentration of vinegar added |
| Ketchup existed before anyone outside | | | | sourness and pungency to the range of |
| the Americas had ever seen a tomato. | | | | sensations experienced during its |
| Originally this sauce was made out of | | | | consumption. And because the elimination |
| pickled fish. It originated in Eastern | | | | of benzoate was also accompanied by a |
| Asia; the word ketchup is used in | | | | doubling of the sweetness of ketchup, a |
| Chinese, Malay and Indonesian (e.g., | | | | balanced stimulation of all five types |
| kecap manis). English and Dutch sailors | | | | of taste buds produced an almost gestalt |
| brought the Asian ketchup to Europe, | | | | effect. |
| where many flavourings, such as | | | | In the past, ketchup was produced from |
| mushrooms, anchovies and nuts, were | | | | fresh tomatoes after harvesting. Vacuum |
| added to the basic fish sauce. Whether | | | | evaporation made it possible to turn |
| the tomato was also added to ketchup in | | | | tomatoes into a very thick tomato paste |
| England is not certain, and it's likely | | | | that is easy to store at room |
| that this important event first happened | | | | temperature. This enables a factory to |
| in the USA. | | | | produce ketchup throughout the year. |
| Tomato ketchup | | | | Later innovations |
| By 1801 a recipe for tomato ketchup was | | | | Originally, ketchup was stored in glass |
| printed in an American cook book, the | | | | bottles and was difficult to pour. While |
| "Sugar House Book". In 1824 a ketchup | | | | glass containers protected ketchup from |
| recipe appeared in The Virginia | | | | moisture and oxidization, the physical |
| Housewife, an influential 19th-century | | | | properties of ketchup make it difficult |
| cookbook written by Mary Randolph, | | | | to pour smoothly from a glass bottle. |
| Thomas Jefferson's cousin. | | | | Without vigorous shaking, ketchup tends |
| As the century progressed, tomato | | | | to stick to the inside of the bottle. |
| ketchup began its ascent in popularity | | | | Physicists explain this by noting that |
| in the USA, influenced by the American | | | | ketchup is a thixotropic power-law |
| enthusiasm for tomatoes. Tomato ketchup | | | | fluid. The introduction of polyethylene |
| was sold locally by farmers. A man named | | | | squeeze bottles made it easier to get |
| Jonas Yerks (or Yerkes) is believed to | | | | the ketchup out. Today, glass ketchup |
| be the first man to have made tomato | | | | bottles are seldom seen outside |
| ketchup a national phenomenon. By 1837 | | | | restaurants in the US, as the plastic |
| he had produced and distributed the | | | | squeeze bottles are overwhelmingly more |
| condiment nationally. Shortly, other | | | | popular with consumers there. |
| companies followed suit. F. & J. Heinz | | | | In October, 2000, Heinz introduced |
| launched their tomato ketchup in 1876. | | | | colored ketchup products, which |
| Heinz tomato ketchup was advertised: | | | | eventually included green, purple, pink, |
| "Blessed relief for Brother and the | | | | orange, teal, and blue. These popular |
| other men in the household!" | | | | products were made by adding food |
| The Webster's Dictionary of 1913 defined | | | | coloring to the traditional ketchup. |
| "catchup" as a "table sauce made from | | | | These products (as of January 2006) have |
| mushrooms, tomatoes, walnuts, etc. | | | | been discontinued. |
| [Written also ketchup]." | | | | |