ark@rabbit.UUCP (01/29/84)
Excerpt from 1984 Consumer Reports buying guide: "Today, sugar is a mandatory ingredient for a product called ketchup, catsup, or catchup, according to current Food and Drug Administration Standard of Identity. Tomatoes, vinegar, spices or flavoring (or both), onions or garlic (or both), and salt are also included in the standard. Salt can be omitted as long as the container is clearly labeled 'no salt added.' Without sugar, however, the product has to be called 'imitation' ketchup which leads some makers into interesting ironies. For some reason, the FDA specifies sucrose, dextrose, glucose syrup, or corn syrup as the only appropriate sugars for ketchup. But certain ketchup makers choose instead to use honey or corn sweeteners, which some regard as more 'natural' sugars. Thus it is that, among the 18 brands we tested, two are strangely and wonderfully labeled 'natural imitation ketchup.' Welcome to 1984.
dce@hammer.UUCP (David Elliott) (01/31/84)
Has anyone (other than myself) noticed that ketchup has been getting lighter in color? Personally, I don't buy it and I never pour it on anything, but when I go to a restaurant with friends, it seems that ketchup always looks a lot more artificial than it did when I was younger. Does the ban on red dye #2 have some relevance here? David