If there is one thing that goes well with almost all comfort food, it’s ketchup.
Whether it’s fries, fried chicken, or a delicious burger – the moment you sit down to eat your eyes start to look for that bottle of ketchup.
Finding that bottle of ketchup can be tricky since some people leave it on their dining tables, others keep it in the pantry, and some prefer to keep it in the refrigerator.
This begs the question of why do some people keep their bottle of ketchup in the refrigerator while others keep their bottle out? Ultimately this boils down to one fundamental question:
Does ketchup need to be refrigerated?
Ketchup does not need to be refrigerated. However, refrigerating an opened bottle of ketchup will help it last longer. Ketchup is shelf-stable and can be left in the pantry or the dining table without any health and safety concerns.
The two main ingredients of ketchup are vinegar and tomatoes, which have high natural acidic content that help preserve ketchup at room temperature. Warm ketchup is just as safe to eat as cold ketchup.
Why Ketchup Bottles Recommend Refrigerating After Opening
You may notice that ketchup bottles recommend refrigerating on the back. Even this bottle of Portland Ketchup says to “Shake. Spread. Refrigerate.”
This advice almost seems contradictory to where most ketchup is sold in stores since this bottle of ketchup was purchased from a room temperature shelf.
So why do ketchup bottles recommend refrigerating?
Ketchup bottles are recommended to be refrigerated after opening since the ketchup can change due to oxidation. An opened bottle of ketchup will start to have flavor, smell, and color changes from oxidation. This is why it’s recommended to refrigerate an opened bottle of ketchup if you intend on keeping it for at least a few days.
This is why ketchup bottles at restaurants are usually not stored in refrigerators and are usually found on the dining tables at room temperature.
Ketchup at restaurants will usually need to be replaced before oxidation would noticeably change the ketchup.
Storing Ketchup At Room Temperature
So if you don’t have the refrigerator space then ketchup is a great condiment to store in a shelf or pantry.
There will not be noticeable differences between room temperature and refrigerated ketchup other than the temperature.
How Long Does Ketchup Last At Room Temperature
Ketchup can be stored unopened at room temperature for up to 12 months.
Once a ketchup bottle is opened then it can safely be stored at room temperature for up to 1 month. If you plan on using the same bottle of ketchup longer than 1 month than store it in the refrigerator for up to 6 months.
Verdict – Should You Refrigerate Ketchup
Ultimately refrigerating ketchup is a personal preference.
If you are going to use a ketchup bottle within 1 month then it makes almost no difference to refrigerate or leave out the ketchup bottle.
After all, restaurants usually have a bottle of ketchup on their dining tables at room temperature. Remember, ketchup at restaurants are used so fast that they are not concerned with preserving ketchup since it’s gone before it has a chance to spoil.
One thing to keep in mind is that this article applies to store bought ketchup. If you are making ketchup from scratch then it’s best to keep it refrigerated.
In the end, I hope your mind is at ease so you can return to enjoying your tasty dish with that heavy side of room temperature or refrigerated ketchup.
