Contaminated Ketchup
1909
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Ketchup was one of the first successful processed foods. By 1900 there were over 100 different brands of this popular condiment. Made from fermented tomato cores and skins, canners added vinegar to flavor and preserve it and dyes to make it red. Because the resulting concoction was prone to explode, canners started adding benzoate of soda as a preservative. Henry Heinz proved ketchup could be made without benzoate in a clean factory using ripe tomatoes.
This primary source comes from the Records of the Food and Drug Administration.
National Archives Identifier: 5710028
Full Citation: Contaminated Ketchup; 1909; Records of the Food and Drug Administration, Record Group 88. [Online Version, https://docsteach.org/documents/document/contaminated-ketchup, March 16, 2025]Activities that use this document
- Effects of Food Regulation in the Progressive Era
Created by the National Archives Education Team
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