ORIGIN OF KETCHUP

Ketchup originally comes from the Hokkien Chinese word, kê-tsiap, the name of a
sauce derived from fermented fish. It is believed that traders brought fish sauce from
Vietnam to southeastern China.

The British likely encountered ketchup in Southeast Asia, returned home, and tried to
replicate the fermented dark sauce. Most British recipes called for ingredients like
mushrooms, walnuts, oysters, or anchovies in an effort to reproduce the savory
tastes first encountered in Asia. These early ketchups were mostly thin and dark, and
were often added to soups, sauces, meat and fish. At this point, ketchup lacked one
important ingredient, tomato. The first known published tomato ketchup recipe
appeared in 1812, The recipe contained tomato pulp, spices, vinegar and sugar.

Preservation of tomato ketchup proved challenging. Since tomato-growing season

was short, makers of ketchup had to solve the problem of preserving tomato pulp
year round.

ALTERNATIVE TOMATO KETCHUP (BANANA KETCHUP)

Banana ketchup, also known as banana sauce, is a popular condiment in the

Philippines made of vinegar, sugar, banana and spices.

The banana ketchup are popularly said to have originated in World War II, when
American soldiers brought tomato ketchup to the Philippines. Since tomatoes were
hard to find at the time but bananas were plentiful, Filipino locals adapted it to a
banana version.

A food chemist and innovator, Maria Orosa saw that the Philippines was heavily
reliant on imports like tomatoes. At the same time, she understood and envisioned
the vast potential of a great many products endemic to the island nation that, when
used properly, could make the country more self-sufficient. She was passionate
about a self-sustaining Philippines and made it her life’s work to study native food,
and the use of fermentation and various preserving techniques to educate and uplift
people in need. She would eventually become a war heroine through her food
innovations.

One day, she created a banana sauce with mashed bananas, vinegar, and spices.
The brownish-yellow color was not very appetizing, so a little red dye was added,
turning it to what is today known as banana ketchup.

Some of Maria’s most known contributions to the food world came during World War
II. She was beloved within Filipino households for her banana ketchup, but became a
war hero for her two other inventions: Soyalac and Darak. Soyalac is a protein-rich,
highly nutritious powdered soybean product. Darak is a rice by-product that is high in
B vitamins, thiamine, and vitamins A, D, and E.

Maria Orosa was a scientist, an activist, a humanitarian, and a war hero who loved
her country and dedicated her life to uplifting the Philippines through food innovation.

Banana ketchup, while probably the most beloved of Maria’s creations, is just a small
part of her great and many contributions to food history. Her creations were intended
to bring forth self-sufficiency and empowerment for her nation.