In examining ketchup the color, odor, amount of discoloration,
presence of foreign tissue, foreign coloring matter, oil, and fungi
were determined. If no preservative was mentioned, some of the ketchup
was put in petri dishes and inoculated with Penicillium to determine
whether growth could take place. The following examinations are
reported, as they represent some of the best known brands on the market:
_No. 9._--Opened September 2, 1907; age unknown; pint bottle; no
preservative mentioned; not spoiled July 6 of following year.
This ketchup was guaranteed to be made from fresh, ripe, tomatoes
by a new process. The color is an unnatural red, has not faded,
and the odor is good. The microscope showed the presence of much
refuse, and large quantities of fungi, whole colonies of molds,
the filaments distorted, many yeast cells, and bacteria. The red
color was not confined to the red crystalline bodies, as is the
case in ripe tomatoes, but the whole of the protoplasm of the
cells, including the nucleus and nucleolus was red, as were also
most of the mold filaments and yeast, indicating the presence of
considerable artificial coloring matter. The structure indicated
that the stock had been manufactured from “trimmings,” and
further, that they were not fresh when used, but had fermented.
There was no oil present. The “new process” is a success in
keeping ketchup, as no preservative is mentioned. The price was 20
cents.
_No. 112._--Another bottle of the same brand of ketchup; examined
in April, 1908; presumably manufactured in 1907; one-twelfth of
1 per cent of sodium benzoate declared on label; a bright red;
guaranteed to be from fresh ripe tomatoes and uncolored. The
microscope showed no dyeing of the tissues, few fungi, and no
extraneous matter. The price was 20 cents.
_No. 17._--Opened September 28, 1907; age unknown; a pint bottle;
sodium benzoate declared on supplemental label, no amount being
stated; reddish brown color, badly discolored on top; greasy odor;
not spoiled July 6, 1908; refuse present; large amount of oil;
many fungi; the mold filaments enlarged and distorted. The price
was 15 cents.
_No. 109._--Another bottle of the same brand examined in April,
1908; presumably manufactured the preceding year; had one-tenth
of 1 per cent of sodium benzoate; not spoiled July 6, 1908;
reddish brown color, discolored near top; greasy odor. This was
practically the same as the first bottle examined, had fewer mold
filaments, but many bacteria.
_No. 18._--Opened September 28, 1907; age unknown; pint bottle;
no preservative mentioned; not spoiled July 6, 1908. A neck label
stated that it is made from sound ripe tomatoes and uncolored.
Color reddish brown; greasy odor; many oil globules; too many mold
filaments and bacteria for sound tomatoes. Price 20 cents.
_No. 113._--Another bottle of the same brand examined in April,
1908; said to have been manufactured in 1908; no preservative
mentioned; not spoiled after standing open for seventy days; same
as No. 18 in color and odor; oil and many fungi again present.
_No. 10._--Opened September 2, 1907; age unknown; half-pint
bottle; no preservative mentioned; not spoiled July 6, 1908. A
neck label 2 inches in height guaranteed the highest quality; an
extra label lower down on the neck stated the product to be the
natural color, and made from fresh, ripe tomatoes; the regular
label carried the brand, manufacturer’s name, etc. Color brown;
sweetish odor; colonies of mold; distorted filaments; many
bacteria; a few small oil globules. Price 25 cents.
_No. 106._--Same brand; pint bottle; examined in April, 1908; said
to be manufactured in 1907; color red, discolored near surface;
2-inch neck label in addition to regular label; no preservative
mentioned; did not spoil in seventy days; oil globules; particles
of red, amorphous matter; whole colonies of mold, as well as
fragments of filaments; teeming with bacteria.
_No. 77._--Different brand, but same manufacturer as Nos. 10 and
106; age unknown; pint bottle; one-twelfth of 1 per cent of sodium
benzoate declared; opened December 1; placed in incubator at 95°
F. for a month; not spoiled July 6; color reddish brown; greasy
odor; oil globules, many mold filaments, and bacteria present.
Price 20 cents.
_No. 107._--Third brand from same manufacturer as preceding; said
to be manufactured in 1907; half-pint bottle; one-twelfth of 1
per cent of benzoate of soda declared; layer of oil on surface;
sweet odor; reddish-brown color. Oil globules prominent feature
microscopically, whole colonies of distorted mold were present,
and sample contained many different forms of bacteria. Price 10
cents.
_No. 14._--Opened September 2, 1907; age unknown; no preservative
mentioned; not spoiled July 6, 1908; half-pint bottle; color red;
good odor; few bacteria; free from refuse. Price 25 cents.
_No. 108._--Same brand as No. 14; said to be manufactured in 1907;
pint bottle; one-tenth of 1 per cent of benzoate of soda declared;
color red; good odor; few fungi; clean and free from refuse.
_No. 33._--Opened October 24, 1907; age unknown; one-tenth of 1
per cent of benzoate of soda declared; spoiled November 1; pint
bottle (14 ounces); sweetish odor; brown color; many molds, yeast
and bacteria. Price 10 cents.
_No. 114._--Same brand as No. 33; said to be manufactured in 1907;
opened in April; not spoiled in seventy days; many molds, yeasts,
and bacteria; some green tissue, and filaments of algæ. The price
was 10 cents.