History:

Peanuts originated in South America and incas, were known to have used peanuts to make a type of paste.

According to Andrew F. Smith's book Peanuts: The Illustrious History of the Goober Pea the earliest candidate for the invention of peanut butter was Rose Davis who lived in Alligerville, New York, in the 1840s. According to New York historian Eleanor Rosakranse, writes Smith, "Rose Davis' son, Ross, traveled to Cuba, where he saw women grind peanuts and smear the paste on bread. Ross told his mother about the practice, and she employed the peanut paste for making sandwiches."

In 1890, George A. Bayle, Jr. began to sell ground peanut paste as a vegetarian protein supplimentfor people with bad teeth.In 1893, Dr.John Harvey Kellogg originated an early variety of peanut butter at the Battle CreekSanitarium in Battel Creek,Michigan. Kellogg, along with his brother, Will Keith Kellogg,patented a process for making peanut butter in 1895, but it usedsteamed peanuts rather than toasted peanuts. Contrary to popular belief, theagronomist George Washington Carver did not actually play a role in the creation of modern-day peanut butter.

Peanut butter was made in Australia by Edward Halsey for Sanitarium Health Food Company onMay 29,1899 and was sold as early as June 16. Peanut butter was widely introduced in 1904 by C.H. Sumner at the Louisiana Purchase Exposition(Saint Louis World's Fair)which also popularized the ice cream cone, the hot dog and thehamburger.

Founded by Benton Black,Krema Products Company in Columbus Ohio began selling peanut butter in 1908 and is the second oldest peanut butter company, other than the Australian Sanitarium Health food Company, still in operation today. Other early peanut butter brands were sold by Heinz Foods and Beech Nut.

In 1922,Joseph L Rosefield developed modern peanut butter by using finer grinding, hydrogeneration, and an emulsifier to keep the oil from separating. This created a creamy texture unlike the earlier peanut butter described as gritty, or pasty. He received a patent for stable peanut butter which had a shlef lifeof up to a year.

Swift & Company adopted the technology for their E.K Pond peanut butter which they had introduced somewhat earlier in 1920. In 1928 they changed the name to "Peter Pan". Peter Pan was originally packaged in atin can with a turn key and re-closable lid but switched toglass duringWorld War II because of metal shortages. In 1932, Rosefield left that company. He formed the Rosefield Packing Company and began selling "Skippy Peanut Butter" in 1933.

Currently, the best-selling American brand isJif, a product introduced by Procter and Gamble in 1958. Jif is now made by the J.M. Smucker Company. Kraft peanut butter is the most popular in Canada. Kraft currently produces peanut butter for the Canadian and Australian markets. Australian health food company Sanitarium Health Food Company has been making commercial peanut butter since 1898. There also exist other nut butters, made from almond, cashew, and hazelneut, such asNutella. The United Kingdom's most popular brand of Peanut Butter is "Sunpat" made by Premier Foods.

Source: Wikipedia