Big shakeup for ketchup - Heinz changing its recipe to slash salt

NY Post ^

[Sub-Driver]

Your fries may never taste the same again!

For the first time in 40 years, Heinz ketchup is changing its famous recipe -- by lowering the salt content in an effort to appeal to more health-conscious consumers, the company said yesterday.

[BwanaNdege]

As my grandma used to say, “There are other fish in the sea!”

Best Overall Ketchup

Hunt’s Tomato Ketchup, 4 forks, Epicurious Top Pick, Best Overall Ketchup

Epi Top Pick: Hunt’s Tomato Ketchup ($1.99 per 24 oz. plastic bottle)

Pros: This ketchup’s boldly rich red color and its slick appearance had testers dipping their fries without hesitation. “It has an obvious tomato flavor with a mild tang, and it’s not overly sweet,” remarked one tester about this well-balanced ketchup. “It’s not watery and not too thick,” said another tester. “This is undeniably the ideal classic ketchup,” said another.

Cons: Has 20 calories per tablespoon as opposed to the standard 15 found in most of the competition.

Read More http://www.epicurious.com/articlesguides/everydaycooking/tastetests/ketchuptastetest#ixzz0nuFzxKBG

[EBH]

It is a freakin’ condiment!!! There’s more salt on your fries than in the ketchup packet!

This is lunacy!!!!

[TalBlack]

“The catalyst . . . came from the changing needs of our consumers and our commitment to health and wellness.”

Talk to Progresso, lady, whose soup I no longer buy because it went from pretty much OK to tasteless crap.

[ladyvet]

My Grandfather used to sometimes put salt into his beer.

So did my dad. He was a tavern owner at one time and would only drink his beer out of a tall beer glass and use a shaker of salt nearby. As for the ketchup, I always bought Heinz until I found out Kerry married it. Hunts is all I buy now.

[CIB-173RDABN]

I use to love french fries, but then they changed the grease they were fried in and they tasted (to me) like cardboard. I quit eating french fries. Score one for the nanny state.

There are other brands of ketchup so this is a no brainer. Switch brands.

[dalereed]

i agree, now there won’t be one on the market fit to eat!!!

[dartuser]

As a half joke, when Kerry ran for President I decided I wouldn't contribute to his fortunes (really his wifes fortunes) by buying Heinz ketchup. Was kind of childish at the time, yeah, ... but I switched to Hunts and I have used it ever since ... I think it tastes better.

Someone tell me that Heinz doesn't make the Hunts brand and I will be pleased with myself for the next week ... lol.

[GeronL]

I guess the pressure cooker gets the excess water out?

[Moonman62]

Silly me. I thought manufacturers were in business to make products people WANT

I want low sodium ketchup. I'll buy it.

[stayathomemom]

I made some a couple of times in order to have low salt ketchup. It took forever to simmer down and I smelled like barbecue sauce.I prefer the Canadian Heinz ketchup, which appears to have a higher sugar/vinegar ratio.

[jurroppi1]

here’s a dirty little secret. Most of the “house brand” is likely made by Heinz and is re-branded. Most store brand items are this way whether people want to admit it or not. This is true of a lot of products at Walgreen’s as well as many other stores (the store brand sandwich cream cookies are re-branded Oreo cookies, their ice cream is Kemps, etc...).

[GeronL]

Maybe thats what Heinz is going to start selling down here.

[Texas resident]

Who is running Heinz? Salt in in the ketchup for a reason, taste. So, they eliminate salt and start making red colored paste. Taste is now bad. Sales fall off. Marketing people kick up the advertising. Sales fall off further. Layoffs begin. New taxes kick in because we have a govt that is actively targeting them. More layoffs. The board is fired due to poor performance and replaced with eco friendly food nazi’s. Sales really tank. More layoffs.
Hey Heintz board, why are you participating in your own demise?

[wagglebee]

What, they can’t have a low sodium version and keep the original?

Exactly. I want my ketchup to taste the same way it's always tasted.

I'm sure that plenty of people would buy a low sodium version (I prefer low sodium soy sauce for sushi), but it should be their choice.

[RandallFlagg]

W Ketchup

I've been using this since the '04 elections. MUCH better than kerryHeinz.

[GOPJ]

Heinz cares about their image with liberals - they don’t care about taste anymore. I’m sure that tactic will serve them well. /s

[MarkL]

Just damn... The only ketchup I like is Heinz... It’s a condiment, for goodness sake! It’s not the main course, or even a side dish!

I’ve tried drinking “reduced sodium” V-8 juice, and it just doesn’t taste anywhere near as good as the “real” V-8 juice, even when I spice it up with pepper, Worcestershire sauce, and hot sauce, the later two which add a bunch of sodium back into the juice.

I just hope that they introduce the lower sodium product as an additional product, rather than replacing the original.

Mark

[MarkL]

the owner, Teresa Heinz-Kerry won’t be able to support her husband, John Kerry D-MA

IIRC, the brand hasn't been "owned" by the family for many years, though they may have stock in it.

Mark

[CitizenUSA]

It’s only a 15% reduction in salt, and Heinz is free to do what they wish with their product. Since they weren’t forced to change it, this isn’t “Nanny State” (which I vehemently oppose).

BTW, Heinz ketchup is my favorite brand, and I settled on it long ago as best tasting. Consumers who don’t like this change may purchase something else.

[VermiciousKnid]

You tell ‘em, Pietro!

We tried to warn them, but no one listened and many cheered.

Regards,