Ketchup (or sometimes in the US, catsup or catchup) most likely originated in China as "ketsiap" a fermented fish sauce, or a variant of soy sauce ("kecap"). Non tomato based kecthups preceded our most popular sweet tomato version, especially the British mushroom ketchup; other early variants used oyster, mussels, or walnuts. Between modern ketchup and it's early antecedent, soy sauce, the vast majority of hum,ans use these condiment sauces every day
Today Heinz ketchup dominates the Western markets, with as much as 80% of the British market. An amusing historical sidebar to Heinz Ketchup is that the original Heinz product was labeled catsup but, in order to distinguish themselves from other manufacturers, re-branded it as ketchup (http://mentalfloss.com/article/29649/whats-difference-between-ketchup-and-catsup,; accessed 28 July 2014).
Early marketing of Heinz marketing empathized the labor saving convenience of their product: ketchup was a common product of the US in the late 19th century through the American depression. Indeed, the Settlement Cook Book (author TBD) offers a recipe that takes, depending on tomato variety 6 to 18 hours to produce (and then to can). Quite often home made ketchups are watery and thin tasting. The Settlement Cook Book (and the current label on Heinz ketchup bottles which lists as first ingredient as *ripe* tomatoes) is the use of very ripe tomatoes. Besides enhanced flavor, ripe tomatoes contain pectin which is key to producing a very thick, slow moving sauce.
The above picture shows my first attempt at making ketchup, following the recipes in my Grandmother Meyer's Settlement Cook Book (with personal variations in spices and vinegar). and from National Public radio (http://www.npr.org/blogs/thesalt/2013/07/11/200865030/Taste-Of-Grandmas-Kitchen-We-Hack-An-Old-Ketchup-Recipe, accessed 26 July 2014).
