[Illustration: Fig. 1.--A model receiving platform.]
The making of tomato ketchup consists essentially in reducing tomatoes
to pulp, removing the skins, seeds, hard parts, and stems, adding
salt, sugar, condiments, and vinegar to suit the taste, and cooking
to a proper consistency. The methods and practices of the various
manufacturers differ, and the difference between the best and the
poorest procedure corresponds to that between the best and the worst
ketchup. No single factory has all of the best methods at every step
of manufacture. Some perform certain details well and are negligent
in others. In some, large amounts of money are spent on equipment to
improve a particular point considered advantageous by the trade, while
other details essential to the making of a good-keeping ketchup are
disregarded. A statement of the best practice as observed at a number
of factories, together with some facts obtained from experiments, will
be given.