Ketchup

This early twentieth-century manual reveals the surprising science behind one of America's most beloved condiments. Bitting, drawing on years of food preservation research, takes readers inside the factories and laboratories where ketchup was perfected, blending practical commercial knowledge with genuine scientific inquiry. The book moves from the careful selection of tomatoes through the precise chemistry of vinegar, sugar, and spices, culminating in a fascinating microbiological examination of how ketchup spoils and how to prevent it. What emerges is not merely a recipe guide but a window into the birth of industrial food science, when manufacturers first applied laboratory methods to transform a simple tomato condiment into a shelf-stable commodity. The final sections, particularly the microscopic analysis of tomato pulp, reveal an almost obsessive attention to the invisible world of bacteria and fermentation that most contemporary readers never associate with their sandwich accompaniment. For food history enthusiasts, vintage cookbook collectors, and anyone curious about the hidden science in their kitchen, this book offers an unexpectedly compelling journey from garden to factory to table.