Ketchup must contain at least 41% tomato paste to qualify as ‘ketchup’ according to Israeli trading standards. The Heinz product claims on its label to contain 61% tomato paste, but Osem Trade said it had commissioned independent testing that showed it only contained 21% tomato paste.
In Hebrew, Heinz will have to call its sauce ‘tomato seasoning’. The ruling does not affect the brand’s English language labelling.
Ynet News said that Osem’s ketchup accounted for about two-thirds of the Israeli ketchup market, with the Heinz brand a distant second.
Meanwhile, Heinz’s local importer, Diplomat, has petitioned to have the definition of ketchup changed to apply to products containing at least 6% tomato solids, versus the current 10% - a move backed by Israel’s Health Ministry.
