WHY HEINZ KETCHUP IS SO SATISFYING

Heinz ketchup is noted as the best and most satisfying ketchup in the world. This is because it covers all five of the palates: umami, salty, sweet, sour and bitter.

UMAMI

• The umami flavor comes from a chemical called glutamate
• When the chemical is broken down it becomes the L- glutamate molecule
• The chemical is broken down when tomatos ripen
• When Heinz used a higher concentrate of ripened tomatos, he created an umami rich product
• The l- glutamate binds to taste receptors in the tongue to create the taste

SOUR

• The first ketchups were made with vinegar
• Heinz doubled the amount of vinegar
• This increased the acidity of ketchup
• The hydrogen ions in the vinegar latch onto the taste receptor
• This makes it taste sour

SALTY

• Ketchup has always been made with salt
• The sodium ions stimulate the taste receptors
• We enjoy salty and sweet foods because
• the chemicals tell our brains its high in calories
• Which would mean we wouldnt starve

SWEET

• Heinz also doubled the sugar
• This increased the amount of glucose in ketchup
• The glucose ions are what stimulate the sweet taste receptors

BITTER

• Tomatoes are naturally bitter
• There are multiple volatiles
• These make tomatoes bitter

SOURCES

• http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0960982212004083
• http://www.npr.org/blogs/thesalt/2013/11/12/244789655/why-can-we-taste-bitt...
• http://www.nature.com/news/2006/060823/full/news060821-9.html
• http://www.popularpittsburgh.com/pittsburgh-info/pittsburgh-history/heinzke...
• " What the Dog Saw" by Malcolm Gladwell