Ketchup started as a far different product from what’s on the shelves today. A lot of its evolution can be traced to an early government agency and a group there called “The Poison Squad” that tested the safety of different chemicals -- by eating them. We hear that story. Then a linguist explains why the name “rocky road” actually makes the ice cream taste better. This episode is a special collaboration with Science Diction, a new podcast from the folks at Science Friday about the science stories behind everyday words.

This episode originally aired on August 23, 2020, and was produced by Dan Pashman, Emma Morgenstern, and Andres O'Hara, edited by Tracey Samuelson, and mixed by Jared O'Connell. The Sporkful team now includes Dan Pashman, Emma Morgenstern, Andres O'Hara, Kameel Stanley, and Jared O'Connell. This update was produced by Gianna Palmer. Publishing by Shantel Holder.

Every Friday, we reach into our deep freezer and reheat an episode to serve up to you. We're calling these our Reheats. If you have a show you want reheated, send us an email or voice memo at hello@sporkful.com, and include your name, your location, which episode, and why.

Transcript available at www.sporkful.com.

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How Ketchup Got Its Name (Reheat)

The Sporkful

How Ketchup Got Its Name (Reheat)