Heinz Introduces First Ketchup Made From Tomatoes Cultivated in Martian Conditions

Together with a team of astrobiologists, Heinz grew tomatoes in soil that is as close as possible to the soil of the Red Planet. The goal of the project was not only to produce quality tomatoes for a unique line of ketchup, but also to find new ways to grow them on Earth and beyond.

Kraft Heinz presented its first-ever ketchup made in a Martian environment, dubbed the “Heinz Tomato Ketchup Marz Edition,” on Monday.

For the experiment, a greenhouse, or "Red House," was built to simulate the conditions that people may face when growing plants on Mars. Experts have tried to recreate, among others, the specific lighting, temperature and type of soil found on the Red Planet.

As a result, the several thousand tomatoes that were grown were used to produce a batch of “Marz ketchup.” The first bottle of the new tomato sauce was sent into space beyond Earth's atmosphere to test its gustatory qualities. The bottle traveled at an altitude of 37,000 meters at a temperature of -70 ° C and returned to Earth.

The first-ever experiment on the production of "Martian" tomatoes lasted 2 years. It was attended by leading scientists from the Aldrin Space Institute at the Florida Institute of Technology and experts from Kraft Heinz, who analyze various types of soil, climatic conditions, the selection of seeds and the introduction of advanced technologies for the development of crops.

“Before now, most efforts around discovering ways to grow in Martian-simulated conditions are short-term plant growth studies. What this project has done is look at long-term food harvesting. Achieving a crop that is of a quality to become HEINZ Tomato Ketchup was the dream result and we achieved it,” says Dr. Andrew Palmer, Aldrin Space Institute.

He added that the experiment has allowed researchers “to see what the possibilities are for long term food production beyond Earth.”