Peanut Butter

Peanut butter is a food paste made from ground dry roasted peanuts, which is sold as either "crunchy" or "smooth" variety. Major consumer brand peanut butter contains hydrogenated vegetable oil to stabilize it and prevent oil separation, salt to prevent spoilage, and dextrose and other sweeteners to enhance taste. Peanut butter marketed as

Natural, or Organic, may only contain peanuts and salt. Peanut butter produced in the United States is exported to countries all over the world. It is popular in the United States where it is used mainly as a sandwich spread, and a key ingredient in the peanut butter and jelly sandwich. China also is a leading exporter of peanut butter. In some types of gourmet peanut butter, chocolate, jelly, or other ingredients may be added. Evidence of modern peanut butter comes from US patent #306727 issued to Marcellus Gilmore Edson of Montreal, Quebec, in 1884, for a process of milling roasted peanuts between heated surfaces until the peanuts reached "a fluid or semi-fluid state." As the product cooled, it set into what Edson described as "a consistency like that of butter, lard, or ointment." J.H. Kellogg, of cereal fame, secured US patent #580787 in 1897