Tomato ketchup

Description of product

The popular condiment tomato ketchup was not known in Germany until after the Second World War and initially mainly imported from the USA. In accordance with the guidelines of the federal association of the German "Feinkostindustrie" (industry of "fine-foods" or "speciality-foods"), ketchup can only be made from tomatoes, vinegar, cooking salt, sugar and spices. The amount of tomato purée must add up to at least 28 percent, colourants are not permitted and the ketchup must be conserved by vinegar. As spice ingredients, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, pepper, allspice and nutmeg may be added.

• See also: ready-made sauces, mayonnaise, tomato purée

Possible application of gene technology

Tomatoes:

• while the cultivation of GM tomatoes as food and fodder is permitted in the USA, in the EU the use of GM technology is currently not to be expected.
• a motion submitted in 1998 to allow processed food products such as ketchup or juices made from GM tomatoes (in accordance with the then effective Novel Food regulation) has since been withdrawn. In previous years, products have been brought to the market in Great Britain with great success.
  The European Scientific Committee on Food evaluated the products and rated them as harmless for food safety. Nevertheless, the motion was not granted and no changes to this policy are to be expected in the near future.

Applications of gene technology are possible in the following ingredients that commonly are found in tomato ketchup. However, the extent to which a particular product is affected by these possibilities cannot be stated with certainty:

• glucose syrup: with the aid of genetically modified enzymes the syrup is made from starch (corn, potatoes, wheat)
• sugar from GM sugar beets
• modified starch or xanthan as a thickening agent
• acidifier citric acid
• flavour enhancer glutamate, guanylate; sweetener aspartame