Experiments on the Spoilage of Tomato Ketchup — John Shaqi
Experiments on the Spoilage of Tomato KetchupBitting, A. W. (Arvill Wayne)
Science
Experiments on the Spoilage of Tomato Ketchup
Bitting, A. W. (Arvill Wayne)
Ketchup
_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.
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