The pectin product "Opekta" sold by Anne Frank's father Otto

Abstract

[Objective] This study introduces “Opekta,” a pectin product sold by Opekta Trading Company, which was operated by Otto Frank, the father of Anne Frank, author of “The Diary of a Young Girl.”

[Methods] Using the book “Kook- en huishoudboek” (Cooking and Home Economics) published in 1937 (Showa 12), the content and related matters were investigated in the section titled “HET MAKEN VAN JAM MET GEBRUIK VAN ‘OPEKTA’” (How to Make Jam Using ‘Opekta’) on pages 90–98. The author, Wilma Münch, was a teacher of agriculture and home economics. The publisher was Münch Bookstore, the place of publication was Utrecht, and the edition was the third revised edition of the first one published in 1931.

[Results] The Amsterdam Opekta Company was established by Otto Frank in 1933 (Showa 8) as a branch of the Swiss Basel headquarters. The company primarily manufactured and sold gelling agents and pectin used in jam and jelly production. Otto also operated the Pectacon Company (spice sales for meat products, 1938–). The “hiding place” where Anne and others hid during the war was located behind the office building of these companies. Opekta was pectin extracted from apples, with its natural origin emphasized. The product was available in liquid and dried forms. Compared to traditional jam-making methods, the advantages of using Opekta were as follows: shorter heating times, preservation of aromatic components, and the ability to make jam from fruits that did not easily thicken. The fruits listed as jam ingredients included strawberries, apples, blackberries, blueberries, raspberries, currants, cherries, plums, apricots, peaches, rhubarb, tomatoes, and oranges.