Cover Get to know Maria Orosa, the Filipino chemist to thank for banana ketchup and other Pinoy culinary inventions (Photo: @ameliarampe / Instagram)
Get to know Maria Orosa, the Filipino chemist to thank for banana ketchup and other Pinoy culinary inventions (Photo: @ameliarampe / Instagram)
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Maria Orosa is a Filipino chemist and patriot who contributed greatly to the culinary scene—here are some of her most notable achievements
Reading about the life of Maria Orosa will inspire anyone. Shrouded by history, Orosa is hardly a household name—yet her many inventions continue to thrive in Filipino homes and communities. While corporations seem to have done her some injustice by commercialising her success, Orosa’s contributions remain her own. A humanitarian at heart, she created a variety of items that helped both Filipinos and Americans during the war. She was a patriot to say the least, and after finishing her education in the United States, she returned to the country to serve her people.
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As the Second World War broke out in the Philippines, Orosa refused to flee and instead chose to stay and help feed those left behind. She died tragically after the hospital she was in was bombed on February 13, 1945. A Filipina to be proud of, Tatler Philippines pays homage to the indelible contributions of Orosa through some of her everlasting achievements.
1. Banana ketchup
Above Arguably Maria Orosa’s best-known invention, banana ketchup (Photo: Rodrigo Dos Reis / Unsplash)
Arguably Maria Orosa’s best-known invention, banana ketchup (Photo: Rodrigo Dos Reis / Unsplash)
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Maria Orosa is the female scientist behind the iconic banana ketchup. A Filipino condiment, banana ketchup was created by Orosa between the 30s and 40s. At this time, Orosa had dedicated herself to bolstering the Philippine food supply by creating alternatives to imported fare. She was an advocate for using locally available ingredients, so when a tomato shortage ensued, she found a way to create ketchup from bananas. In 1942, Universal Food Corporation (UFC) distributed the first mass-produced banana ketchup, which is still a staple today.
See also: What makes Iloilo City a food haven? New book by Ige Ramos celebrates Ilonggo gastronomy
2. Palayok
In order to provide villagers with an effective means of cooking at a time when electricity was scarce, Orosa devised the palayok oven—a simple, clever device that enabled Filipinos to cook over fire using little more than the palayok (clay pot) and sheet metal or aluminium foil. This adaptation provided vital food security in impoverished and war-torn communities.
See also: Food fermentation in Asia: a culinary atlas of pickles, pastes and probiotics
3. Soyalac
Above Protein-rich and nutrient-dense, Soyalac is one of Maria Orosa’s most important inventions (Photo: Mae Mu / Unsplash)
Protein-rich and nutrient-dense, Soyalac is one of Maria Orosa’s most important inventions (Photo: Mae Mu / Unsplash)
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Maria Orosa saved possibly thousands of lives with her invention, Soyalac. Known as “magic food”, Soyalac was a wartime necessity for soldiers and prisoners of war. It was made as a powdered preparation of soya beans and helped provide nutrition to those arrested in Japanese concentration camps during World War II.
Read more: What we lose when we forget our food: this cookbook reminds us where Filipino food came from
4. Darak
Above Rice bran forms the foundation of darak, a nutritious and affordable treat said to save the lives of countless soldiers during the war (Photo: Utsman Media / Unsplash)
Rice bran forms the foundation of darak, a nutritious and affordable treat said to save the lives of countless soldiers during the war (Photo: Utsman Media / Unsplash)
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A cookie made from rice bran, Maria Orosa’s darak also possibly saved thousands of lives during the war. It was not only a nutritious food—rich in vitamin B complex and vitamins A, D, and E—but it was also something of a medicine. These cookies were considered an effective treatment for those with beriberi, a disease caused by a lack of thiamine.
See also: Flavours of My Youth: JP Anglo of Sarsa Kitchen + Bar and Kooya Filipino Eatery
5. Culinary techniques
Maria Orosa was a pioneer in many ways. Her contributions have inspired generations of food technologists. In many ways, she was something of an alchemist in the kitchen: drawing vinegar from pineapples and wine from native fruits like guava. She produced jelly from santol and mango, and created banana flour and cassava flour. She taught Filipinos how to preserve native delicacies, enabling us to can various foodstuffs and lengthen the shelf life of adobo, dinuguan, kilawen, and escabeche. No one can say for sure how far-reaching her accomplishments are, but it's obvious that Orosa has left an indelible mark not only in our kitchens but in our histories as well.
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