NATIONAL KETCHUP DAY – June 5 | National Day Calendar

June 5 is National Ketchup Day on the National Day Calendar and we are celebrating the most popular condiment in the U.S. Let’s dip right into the origins and history of this food condiment day and see why this red sauce is a staple on our tables across the nation.

#NATIONALKETCHUPDAY

Ketchup comes from the Chinese word kê-tsiap that dates back to 300 BC in China. Kê-tsiap was a sauce made from fermented fish, consisting of anchovies or oysters, mushrooms, and walnuts. The sauce became very popular with the British during the 17th century when British sailors came across a local fish sauce while in Southeast Asia. In fact, British sailors were known to add the fish sauce to their crackers and meats.

The sauce was such a novelty for British sailors, it was bottled and brought onboard ships to add flavor to their crackers and meats. Once the sailors reached England, they tried to replicate the recipe, adopting the word catsup in the process.

In 1812, American scientist named James Mease documented the first tomato-based ketchup recipe. His documentation marked the first official ketchup recipe that contained tomatoes, sugar, spices, and vinegar. The same base recipe we know and love today.

Interesting Tomato Facts

Before 1812, tomatoes were once considered poisonous because of their classification with the nightshade family or Solanaceae. Plants under the nightshade family tend to contain high doses of harmful toxins. However, it was later discovered tomatoes lack these toxins and edible.
Ketchup was originally used for medicinal purposes before the 19th century. In fact, many people used tomatoes to treat indigestion and diarrhea.
The Great Ketchup Controversy was a real controversy about proper ingredients to make ketchup. Some people thought a sweeter ketchup should be acceptable, while others thought a spicer one was would be better.
Nearly 97 percent of Americans have ketchup in their homes. In fact, ketchup is so popular Astronauts use ketchup as a condiment in space.
The word ketchup became popular during the 19th century and has been the standard name of the condiment since. However, some areas in the southern part of the U.S. still use the word catsup.

Contemporary tomato ketchup became wildly popular around 1876, when H.J. Heinz introduced his version of the ketchup recipe with a thick consistency and sweet flavor. Heinz spent many hours experimenting with the perfect ketchup recipe. Eventually, he found a way to produce ketchup using quality ingredients like sugar and vinegar to help provide a longer shelf life for consumers. The recipe used in 1876 is the same standard recipe we love and enjoy today.

DIP YOUR OWN CELEBRATION

Visit the Heinz History Center in Pittsburgh, PA to learn about the history of the Heinz company, including artifacts and memorabilia.
Try incorporating ketchup into some of your dishes, such as a meatloaf glaze or an ingredient for homemade cocktail sauce.
Ketchup art is a real thing. Create a portrait with ketchup before you eat your fries or collect ketchup art.
Share your love for ketchup on social media by using the hashtag #NationalKetchupDay. Tell us how you celebrate this delicious food holiday and share your pictures, too.

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