The History of Ketchup

Ketchup is America's favorite condiment, but its story begins thousands of miles away in Southeast Asia as a fermented fish sauce. The journey from "kê-tsiap" (a salty, fishy liquid) to the sweet, tomato-based condiment we squirt on fries took over 300 years and crossed three continents. It's a tale of trade, adaptation, innovation, and one company's genius marketing that turned a humble sauce into a global icon.

The Asian Origins: Kê-Tsiap (17th Century)

The word "ketchup" likely derives from kê-tsiap (or ke-tchup), a fermented fish sauce from the Fujian province of southern China. Made from salted, fermented anchovies or shellfish, kê-tsiap was thin, dark, and intensely umami-rich—closer to modern soy sauce or fish sauce than to ketchup.

Chinese fishermen would salt their catch, pack it in jars, and let it ferment for weeks or months. The resulting brine was a powerful flavor enhancer, added to stir-fries, soups, and marinades. This fermentation technique had been practiced for centuries across Asia, with similar sauces appearing in Vietnam (nước mắm) and Thailand (nam pla).

British sailors encountered kê-tsiap in the 17th century during trade voyages to Southeast Asia. They loved its savory punch and brought the idea—though not the actual sauce—back to England.

British Ketchup: Mushrooms, Walnuts, and Oysters (1700s)

Without access to the same fish and fermentation techniques, British cooks improvised. By the early 1700s, British cookbooks were filled with "ketchup" recipes—none containing tomatoes or resembling modern ketchup.

Popular British ketchups included:

• Mushroom ketchup: Made by salting mushrooms until they released liquid, then boiling that liquid with spices. Dark, thin, and intensely savory.
• Walnut ketchup: Made from pickled walnuts, creating a tangy, umami-rich sauce.
• Oyster ketchup: Oyster brine mixed with spices—expensive and considered a delicacy.
• Anchovy ketchup: The closest to the original Asian version, using fermented anchovies.

These British ketchups were flavor enhancers, not table condiments. They were used like Worcestershire sauce—added to gravies, stews, and meats to boost umami. The concept was clear: "ketchup" meant any thin, fermented or pickled sauce with intense savory flavor. The ingredient didn't matter—the function did.

Tomatoes Enter America (Early 1800s)

Tomatoes are native to the Americas, domesticated by indigenous peoples in Mexico and South America. Spanish conquistadors brought them to Europe in the 16th century, but Europeans feared them as poisonous—they're part of the nightshade family, which includes deadly belladonna.

By the early 1800s, Americans had overcome this fear and were cultivating tomatoes widely. Tomatoes are naturally high in glutamate (the source of umami), making them perfect candidates for a ketchup-style sauce. The first published tomato ketchup recipe appeared in 1812 in James Mease's "Archives of Useful Knowledge." His recipe used tomatoes, brandy, and spices—no sugar.

Throughout the 1830s-1850s, American cooks experimented with tomato ketchup, adding vinegar, sugar, and various spices. By mid-century, tomato ketchup was becoming popular, though it was still homemade and inconsistent. Recipes varied wildly, and there was no standard for what "ketchup" should taste or look like.

The Heinz Revolution (1876): Standardization and Safety

Henry John Heinz didn't invent tomato ketchup, but he perfected and popularized it. In 1876, Heinz released his version, and it changed the condiment industry forever.

The Innovation: Preservation Without Poison

Most commercial ketchups in the 1870s-1880s used dangerous preservatives:

• Coal-tar dyes for color
• Sodium benzoate or salicylic acid for shelf stability

These chemicals were eventually deemed unsafe. Heinz's genius was using vinegar, sugar, and airtight glass bottles to create a shelf-stable product without harmful additives. His slogan? "Pure Food Products."

Standardization and Consistency

While homemade ketchups varied wildly, Heinz ketchup tasted the same every time. This consistency, combined with aggressive marketing, made Heinz a household name. By the early 1900s, Heinz dominated the American market.

The "57 Varieties" Myth

Heinz's famous "57 Varieties" slogan was entirely made up. Heinz admitted he saw a sign advertising "21 styles of shoes" and liked the idea of associating his brand with variety. He chose 57 because he liked the way the numbers looked together—not because he had 57 products.

The Science of Heinz: Non-Newtonian Fluids

Heinz ketchup is famously thick and slow-pouring. This isn't accidental—it's chemistry. Ketchup is a non-Newtonian fluid, meaning its viscosity changes under stress:

• At rest: Thick and gel-like
• When shaken or squeezed: Flows like liquid

This property comes from tomato pectin and the interaction between tomato solids, sugar, and vinegar. Heinz turned this into a selling point: "Slow ketchup means quality"—real tomatoes, not watered-down substitutes.

Their famous "Anticipation" ads showed ketchup slowly oozing from a bottle, building suspense. The message: good things are worth waiting for.

Ketchup Goes Global (Post-WWII)

Post-WWII, American cultural influence spread globally, and ketchup followed. McDonald's, arriving in foreign markets in the 1970s, brought ketchup to places where it had never been mainstream. By the 21st century, ketchup was ubiquitous—from Tokyo to Buenos Aires.

Regional Variations Emerged:

• Banana Ketchup (Philippines): Invented during WWII when tomatoes were scarce. Made from mashed bananas, vinegar, sugar, and spices, dyed red to resemble tomato ketchup. Still popular today.
• Curry Ketchup (Germany): Ketchup mixed with curry powder, served on currywurst (sausage).
• Spicy Ketchup (Mexico): Ketchup mixed with hot sauce and lime.

Ketchup vs. Catsup

In America, you'll sometimes see "catsup" instead of "ketchup." Both spellings refer to the same product, and the difference is purely linguistic. "Ketchup" became the dominant spelling by the mid-20th century, though some brands (like Hunt's) used "catsup" into the 1980s.

The Ketchup Debate: Refrigerate or Not?

Heinz ketchup contains enough vinegar and sugar to be shelf-stable unopened. Once opened:

• Restaurants: Keep ketchup at room temperature (high turnover means it's used quickly)
• Home: Refrigerate after opening to maintain flavor and prevent separation (recommended by Heinz)

Ketchup Today: From Fish Sauce to Fries

Ketchup's journey from fermented fish paste to sweet tomato sauce took 300 years and involved China, Britain, America, and corporate innovation. Today's ketchup bears no resemblance to its Asian ancestor, yet the name persists—a linguistic fossil from a forgotten origin.

Heinz sells over 650 million bottles annually, and ketchup is the second most popular condiment in America (after mayonnaise). Whether you love it or hate it, ketchup represents one of the most successful food transformations in history. And every time you squeeze that iconic glass bottle, you're tasting a condiment that conquered the world—one fry at a time.