Where does the word ketchup come from?
Ketchup started as a fermented fish sauce from China called ke-tsiap.
British sailors found this salty sauce in Southeast Asia during the 1600s and took it home. People later changed the recipe by adding mushrooms, walnuts, and eventually tomatoes. The sweet tomato version we eat now was created in the United States.
Nerd's Section
The original sauce was made from fish parts and soybeans that were left to ferment. This process created a strong savory taste called umami. When the recipe reached England, cooks tried to copy it using ingredients like oysters, anchovies, and lemons.In 1812, a scientist named James Mease published the first recipe that used tomatoes. Early tomato ketchups spoiled quickly and sometimes contained harmful chemicals to keep them red. In 1876, Henry J. Heinz started making a safer version using ripe tomatoes and lots of vinegar.The vinegar and sugar acted as natural preservatives to keep the sauce fresh. Modern ketchup gets its bright red color from a natural chemical in tomatoes called lycopene. Today, the United States government has strict rules about how thick and sweet a sauce must be to be called ketchup.
Verified Fact
FP-0002871 · Mar 25, 2026