7 ms·
I find it disturbing how long ketchup lasts. It’s not natural.
by kresten 7y ago
I find it disturbing how long ketchup lasts.
It’s not natural.
- imglorp 7y agoIt kind of is natural: tomatoes, vinegar, and salt all have anti-microbial properties. The rest of the ingredients are sugars and flavors. No preservatives needed, in this product at least (Heinz). https://edrugsearch.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/heinz-ketchup-ingredient-label.png https://edrugsearch.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/heinz-ket...
- NikolaeVarius 7y agosugar also has anti-microbial properties
- Scoundreller 7y agoAt high enough concentrations. But that's true of anything. Having a lot of salt or sugar (or any small molecule really) in something makes it impossible for cells to retain enough water to function. Which is why your sauce/jam doesn't go bad (except at the top, where a layer of condensed water doesn't have the high concentration of sugar or salt).
- swiley 7y agoHave you never bought tomatoes? They go bad faster than any other kind of fruit I’ve ever bought.
- AlexeyBrin 7y agoKetchup is not raw tomatoes! Home made tomato juice with pulp is usually boiled and canned. It can be stored up to two years.
- cobookman 7y agoPickles also last a long time. As do other fermented goods.
- wavefunction 7y agosomething something ph levels at the acidic/basic extremis
- jacquesm 7y agoPickles are literally pickled, that's a food preservation method.
- agumonkey 7y agoFood chemistry is somehow subtle. Rooster sauce/sriracha is also very 'resilient'. On the other side bolonese and similar spoil fast.
- skyyler 7y agoCommercial rooster sauce has potassium sorbate in it. If you mixed sugar, chilies, and garlic without vinegar or other preservatives, it would spoil as fast as bolognese.
- buckminster 7y agoTraditionally you don't add preservative, you ferment the mixture (though without the sugar). This has the advantage of producing more complex flavours but it's more expensive to manufacture because it takes longer. Or you can do it yourself. I make sauerkraut and it is very straightforward.
- Scoundreller 7y agoA big problem with bolognese is that it's not homogenous. So the protection you get from your preservation process isn't the same throughout.
- agumonkey 7y agoWhat forbids bolognese brands to add a similar preservative ?
- skyyler 7y agoThe way meat reacts to most preservatives + time. It would ruin the texture of the sauce. Imagine bolognese made with hot dogs.
- tyingq 7y agoSome restaurants refill ketchup bottles, which I've seen lead to some kind of fermentation where they spew when opened.
- londons_explore 7y agoA common teenage prank is to add a spoon of baking soda to a glass ketchup bottle, put the lid on, and shake. The next person to open it will have ketchup all over the ceiling and walls... My guess is you saw that rather than a refilled bottle.
- tyingq 7y agoI don't know, I saw it many times over a fairly long time period. I suppose it could have been a long running prank.