What is going on?
 

Is it me or has food taste changed. It appears that in the last 5-10 years food has turned to include loads of spice or pepper! The straw that broke the camel's back was the latest bottle of Heinz Ketchup that we bought. It has so much spice it is not eatable. It is hard to find some foods that are not loaded with spice and god forbid you order food in a Restaurant today without it being loaded with spice or pepper. What is going on??:ohdear:

What's going on
 

I don't know your age, but:
Your sense of smell and taste change as you age. Between the ages of 40 and 50, the number of taste buds decreases, and the rest begin to shrink, losing mass vital to their operation. After age 60, you may begin to lose the ability to distinguish the taste of sweet, salty, sour, and bitter foods.

Some foods I loved when younger my tummy can no longer tolerate.

Old people taste buds change.




:MOJE_whot:

Could be age or meds! My MIL used to complain her food had a metal taste...and she couldn't stand anything with "spice"...not necessarily "hot".

Nay Sayers
 

A simple test for the "Nay Sayers" regarding spice's and pepper now added to almost all foods. Buy an order, including take out at "Carrabb's" and include their mashed potatoes and test them for spice/pepper. Not med's, age, etc etc just plain a lot hotter food than in other years ago. Know the peppers years ago in eating Italian food and this is creeping near that BUT not at that level.:ho:

I hope I can remember that when I get old.

Write it down now, your memory is the second thing to go.




:duck:

Interesting! I always learn something from these posts.

I always think the restaurants "spice things up" to cover up near spoiled foods. Just sayin'

I haven't noticed more spice in general, but I agree with the Heinz Ketchup comment. I opened a new bottle not long ago and threw it away. I'm not sure I would call it spicy, but it tasted terrible.

Daughter Helene and I tasted our newly opened bottle of Heinz Ketchup and it tasted the same to us. We had it on Salmon Patties last night and it was yummy.

Googled around and found that Heinz has recently released a new product of ketchup and mayonnaise blended together, called "Mayochup" that is more spicy, but I am sure you would have noticed the color being lighter.

Here's what Heinz's Mayochup sauce actually tastes like - INSIDER

Some medications can cause a metallic taste to food, but you both agreed it was more spicy???

When we moved down 10 years ago from NY we noticed right away that they used a lot of hot pepper in a lot of their dishes..I figured it was all of the Mexicans and south Americans working in the kitchens...When Red sauce first opened in SL we couldn't continue going there because of the hot pepper they put in their sauces....( we tried again recently and it perfect) I had a sister in law that was addicted to hot pepper sauce and carried it in her purse...some people like the hot taste so to each their own...

Were you using the 'original' ketchup or a less sugar, lower sodium variant?

Heinz is making a MASSIVE change to ketchup - and it could be good for you

Are you on a new medication?

Personally, I prefer Trader Joe's organic ketchup. Try it sometime.

Having grown up in New Mexico and eaten both red and green chile nearly daily I love spicy food. When my east coast relatives have visited me there most all of them could not handle even the mildest chile dishes. They did not seem to enjoy the flavor either. I guess it is all what one is used to eating.

New Mexico chile - Wikipedia

I never really adjusted to eating most east coast and midwest food which I find far too bland and tasteless. Maryland steamed crab is an exception as are some spicy Italian sauces which I dearly love.

I've noticed restaurants up north doing the same in some instances. I know when my husband's niece went on a salt restricted diet some years back she started adding more pepper to her dishes for added flavor while omitting the salt. With so many wanting or needing less salt in their food these days, is it possible that pepper/spice is becoming the new salt and restaurants are doing the same?

Not sure about Heinz Ketchup - haven't had it in awhile.

Stopped using Heinz as it seemed too sweet. Trying Hunt's.


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Many restaurants use to much spice as a cover for dodgy ingredients.
Takeaways are biggest offenders, after my wife.
I am not running her cooking down, but even our dog eats out! :icon_wink:

Grew Up Using It
 

We had always used Heinz . In fact I grew up just outside of Pittsburgh and use to tour their plant when we were young. I wonder if this is just a trend for the food industry. Today you have to tell the waiter or waitress "nothing spicy" and we never had to do that in the past. Also you say if it is "spicy" I don''t want it. One guess is that most chef's today are younger and used spicy foods and it is normal to them. I did send a note to Kraft/Heinz Division asking why this is now the taste of their product. Years ago we had a Villa in Tuscany, with kitchen, etc and I bought a cold American Cereal from one of the stores in the Village. It was great, even dry so when we returned to the US I bought a box here and it was different. I sent a note to Kellog's and they told me they use different ingredent's in different countries thus the difference between Italy and the US. You learn some thing every day.:popcorn:

My entire childhood family would put Catsup on everything. Including Steak and Tomatoes. I would never try it and remove it from the table in any restaurant that has it there.
classic Heinz Ketchup Anticipation TV ad 1979 - YouTube On Steak! Isn't that a sin?

Special spices currently in favor by chefs can be changed when newer meals are “designed.” Seems that younger individuals enjoy more spices than older individuals. I’m sure that chefs working for food companies stay current with whatever is “in” at the time. I generally look for the words, “New and Improved”....lol.

When we came here (2010) some restaurants were putting a lot of salt in the meals, but that seems to have been reduced.

I love pepper and other spices, but it should really be left to the individual to add as they see fit.