Does ketchup need to be refrigerated?

[cluvsdisney]

I generally refirgerate ketchup because I like cold ketchup but I don't sweat it if it gets left out.

 

[jshuff1]

I dont think you have to but we do at our house

 

[Minnesota!]

We put ketchup in the fridge b/c I love cold ketchup with my fries! And I fridge the syrup, too, b/c I love cold syrup on my pancakes.

And we always have a stick of butter on the counter in a dish.

 

[hambirg]

We refrigerate our ketchup, salad dressings, soy sauce, syrup etc. I don't worry if they get left out though. We don't refrigerate peanut butter and sometimes butter. If my fridge is full after shopping, I'll leave my eggs out.

One I'm curious about is tortillas. Do you refrigerate yours after they're open? I always do, but then end up throwing them out all the time because they get crunchy around the edges. This just got me thinking. . .you can probably just leave them out like bread, huh?

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

I wrote to Heinz to ask them the question, so we'll see what they have to say.

The answer is right on their web page:

http://www.heinzketchup.com/FAQ.aspx

Q: Do I need to refrigerate Ketchup? A: Because of its natural acidity, Heinz® Ketchup is shelf-stable. However, its stability after opening can be affected by storage conditions. We recommend that this product, like any processed food, be refrigerated after opening. Refrigeration will maintain the best product quality after opening.

So it's okay to keep on the shelf, but will last longer refrigerated.

One I'm curious about is tortillas. Do you refrigerate yours after they're open? I always do, but then end up throwing them out all the time because they get crunchy around the edges.

They won't get crunchy if you seal the bag, or put in a ziploc bag.

 

[vickalamode]

Restaurants also use Heinz bottles, but fill them with inferior brand bulk ketchup. I worked for Heinz and worked with ketchup for quite a while and it is definitely not Heinz ketchup in any restaurant I've been in.

I have worked at a few different restaurants and have never seen this happen. Not saying it doesn't happen at other places but I've worked for chain and independent restaurants and always use the Heinz and no cheap fake ketchup...

 

[disneychic2]

My Mom never refrigerated her ketchup and one day she reached in the cupboard to get it and the cap exploded off of the bottle, hitting her very near her eye and almost made her black out. Fortunately I was close by and drove over and helped her. It was all over the ceiling and walls. Since then, she and I refrigerate our ketchup!

 

[hambirg]

The answer is right on their web page:

http://www.heinzketchup.com/FAQ.aspx

Q: Do I need to refrigerate Ketchup? A: Because of its natural acidity, Heinz® Ketchup is shelf-stable. However, its stability after opening can be affected by storage conditions. We recommend that this product, like any processed food, be refrigerated after opening. Refrigeration will maintain the best product quality after opening.

So it's okay to keep on the shelf, but will last longer refrigerated.



They won't get crunchy if you seal the bag, or put in a ziploc bag.

Oh, I know. . .and I try. But one of my three kids will, no doubt, leave them unsealed.

 

[Ladyhawke]

I wrote to Heinz to ask them the question, so we'll see what they have to say.

Did Heinz ever write back?

 

[herdtoDisney]

At my house, I refridgerate the ketchup, once opened. In the winter, my cupboards are pretty cool (on an outside wall) but in summer, my kitchen gets pretty toasty-it's the heat that causes items to deteriorate. I don't leave bread out either for this reason. I suppose if your house has central ac, it would not fluctuate this way. Mine does, so I keep all the condiments in the fridge, and butter and bread too.