Show 'Em You Love 'Em with Lycopene This Valentine's Day; Heinz Ketchup's Love Apple Pie Puts an Unusual Twist on an Old Favorite

Business Wire, Jan 31, 2005

PITTSBURGH -- When it comes to Valentine's Day, it's all about the color RED - and sharing "sweets with your sweetie." But leave it to Heinz (NYSE:HNZ) to find a way to use Heinz(R) Tomato Ketchup -- America's Favorite Ketchup(TM) -- which is most decidedly red -- in a way that creates one of the most interesting and unusual desserts you can make for your loved ones this Valentine's Day.

Heinz Ketchup's Love Apple Pie adds just the right tint of color and a subtle sweetness to one of America's favorite and most enduring desserts -- apple pie. However, given that tomatoes were once known as Love Apples, the notion of combining ketchup and apple pie isn't so far-fetched. And by adding Heinz Ketchup to this sweet treat, you can get an extra dose of lycopene -- the important antioxidant found abundantly in processed tomato products. Although lycopene is found in fresh tomatoes, research shows that consuming processed tomatoes is better, because cooking breaks down the cell walls of the tomato and makes it much easier for lycopene to be absorbed in the body. A number of recent research studies indicate that a tomato-rich diet may lower the risk of prostate cancer and certain chronic ailments, including heart disease and other cancers. Find more information at www.lycopene.org.

"We've been promoting the health benefits of lycopene for nearly a decade," said Debbie Foster, vice president, corporate communications, H.J. Heinz Company. "Consequently, we're always looking for unique and innovative ways that people can add more processed tomato products to their diets. Even though they're often surprised by the combination, people love our Love Apple Pie. And isn't an extra serving of lycopene a wonderful Valentine's Day present?"

The recipe for Heinz Ketchup's Love Apple Pie:

1/3 cup Heinz Tomato Ketchup
         2 tsp. lemon juice
         6 cups tart cooking apples, peeled and sliced (about 2 lbs.)
         2/3 cup all-purpose flour
         1/3 cup granulated sugar
         1 tsp. cinnamon
         1/3 cup unsalted butter or margarine, softened
         1 unbaked 9-inch pie shell

Blend Heinz Tomato Ketchup and lemon juice; combine with apples. (Note: If apples are very tart, add 1 to 2 tablespoons sugar to ketchup mixture.) For topping, combine flour, sugar and cinnamon; cut in butter until thoroughly mixed. Fill pie shell with apples; sprinkle topping over apples. Bake in 425 degrees F oven, 40 to 45 minutes or until apples are cooked. Serve warm with ice cream, if desired.

About Heinz

H.J. Heinz Company is one of the world's leading producers and marketers of branded foods in ketchup, condiments, sauces, meals, soups, seafood, snacks and infant foods. Heinz is a global family of leading brands, including Heinz(R) Tomato Ketchup, sauces, soups, beans, pasta and infant foods (representing nearly one-third of total sales), Ore-Ida(R) french fries, Boston Market(R) and Smart Ones(R) meals and Plasmon(R) baby food. Heinz's 50 companies have number-one or number-two brands in 200 countries, showcased by Heinz(R) Ketchup, the world's favorite ketchup. Information on Heinz is available at www.heinz.com/news.> Note to Editors: A high-resolution photo is available upon request. Please contact Renee Sroka at 412-473-3411 or renees@jackhorner.com