# Do you refrigerate your ketchup **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 2, 2018, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-refrigerate-your-ketchup/808035 "2018-02-02T15:07:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Lucas\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucas_jackson/32/303_2.png) [@Lucas\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucas_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2018, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-refrigerate-your-ketchup/808035/1 "2018-02-02T15:07:11Z")
I was told by a friend that they never refrigerate their ketchup. Skeptical, I turned to Hienz who says this > [@](#): > > 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.Feb 6, 2017 Apparently non-refrigerating is a thing. A thing I’d never heard of. Do any dopers here not refrigerate? ---
**Author:** ![StrTrkr777](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/fbc32d/32.png) [@StrTrkr777](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StrTrkr777)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2018, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-refrigerate-your-ketchup/808035/2 "2018-02-02T15:09:18Z")
We generally refrigerate it, but it does not always get put back in the refrigerator immediately after use and sometimes the kids leave it out for a couple of days, never had an issue. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2018, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-refrigerate-your-ketchup/808035/3 "2018-02-02T15:09:45Z")
Never have refrigerated. And I’m the type of person who has always liked a little food under their ketchup. ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2018, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-refrigerate-your-ketchup/808035/4 "2018-02-02T15:10:21Z")
I refrigerate. Same with mustard. ---
**Author:** ![TRC4941](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trc4941/32/6792_2.png) [@TRC4941](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TRC4941)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2018, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-refrigerate-your-ketchup/808035/5 "2018-02-02T15:14:49Z")
Refrigerate - mustard too. How about pancake syrup (not the real maple syrup but like Log Cabin or Mrs Butterworth’s)? I know some people that refrigerate it. I don’t. ---
**Author:** ![Lucas\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucas_jackson/32/303_2.png) [@Lucas\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucas_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2018, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-refrigerate-your-ketchup/808035/6 "2018-02-02T15:17:35Z")
> [@TRC4941](#): > > Refrigerate - mustard too. > > How about pancake syrup (not the real maple syrup but like Log Cabin or Mrs Butterworth’s)? I know some people that refrigerate it. I don’t. I’ve never refrigerated syrup. I’m happy to expand the scope of this thread to other condiments. ---
**Author:** ![kopek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kopek/32/337_2.png) [@kopek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kopek)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2018, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-refrigerate-your-ketchup/808035/7 "2018-02-02T15:26:15Z")
In the fridge although for us ketchup is usually about 1 or more years until the bottles is empty. Almost any food item we take that long to use up ends up in the fridge. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2018, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-refrigerate-your-ketchup/808035/8 "2018-02-02T15:26:53Z")
Also, haven’t you ever noticed how diners have squeeze bottles of ketchup and mustard sitting on the table, if not in real life, then in television and movies? (Is that a bottle of ketchup to the right of the napkin dispenser [in Nighthawks](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a8/Nighthawks_by_Edward_Hopper_1942.jpg)? And on the thingy in [this](https://media.npr.org/assets/img/2013/12/04/saying_grace_rockwell_wide-14dd981f15fc2fa09dd68315233be36275f3bbba.jpg?s=1400) Rockwell?) Those aren’t refrigerated between shifts, I’m sure. ---
**Author:** ![Jasmine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jasmine/32/2964_2.png) [@Jasmine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jasmine)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2018, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-refrigerate-your-ketchup/808035/9 "2018-02-02T15:28:46Z")
Ketchup? I’ve seen it in restaurants but don’t actually possess a bottle of my own. :lol ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2018, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-refrigerate-your-ketchup/808035/10 "2018-02-02T15:42:15Z")
> [@StrTrkr777](#): > > We generally refrigerate it, but it does not always get put back in the refrigerator immediately after use and sometimes the kids leave it out for a couple of days, never had an issue. Yep. We use a ton of catsup/ketchup, and it is always Heinz, because Hunts is for c\*\*\*\*.😃 ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Bravo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_bravo/32/493_2.png) [@Johnny\_Bravo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Bravo)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2018, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-refrigerate-your-ketchup/808035/11 "2018-02-02T15:54:08Z")
Yes, but mainly because I like the distinction between hot food and cold condiments. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2018, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-refrigerate-your-ketchup/808035/12 "2018-02-02T15:54:25Z")
Refrigerate catsup, mustard, and maple syrup. ---
**Author:** ![Doctor\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doctor_jackson/32/32_2.png) [@Doctor\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doctor_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2018, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-refrigerate-your-ketchup/808035/13 "2018-02-02T15:58:26Z")
Nope. The wife can’t abide cold ketchup/catsup, so it stays in the pantry. Mustard, maple syrup, and hot sauces stay in the pantry prior to opening and fridge after. ---
**Author:** ![Novelty\_Bobble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Novelty\_Bobble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Novelty_Bobble)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2018, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-refrigerate-your-ketchup/808035/14 "2018-02-02T16:06:18Z")
The sauces currently in my cupboard, unrefridgerated include, Ketchup, HP, Branston pickle, english and german mustard, sweet chilli sauce, sriracha, golden syrup, maple syrup, jam, homey, marmalade. Never stored them in the fridge, never had them spoil (other than the occasional fluffy mould on the top of jam but that easily spoons off.) ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2018, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-refrigerate-your-ketchup/808035/15 "2018-02-02T16:23:59Z")
Yes. I know I don’t have to, but I like it to be cold, and my wife doesn’t use it so I can do whatever I want with it. I like most condiments to be cold. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2018, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-refrigerate-your-ketchup/808035/16 "2018-02-02T16:26:09Z")
> [@Darren\_Garrison](#): > > Also, haven’t you ever noticed how diners have squeeze bottles of ketchup and mustard sitting on the table, if not in real life, then in television and movies? (Is that a bottle of ketchup to the right of the napkin dispenser [in Nighthawks](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a8/Nighthawks_by_Edward_Hopper_1942.jpg)? And on the thingy in [this](https://media.npr.org/assets/img/2013/12/04/saying_grace_rockwell_wide-14dd981f15fc2fa09dd68315233be36275f3bbba.jpg?s=1400) Rockwell?) Those aren’t refrigerated between shifts, I’m sure. They might put them in the fridge at night. Or they might just figure the ketchup gets used quickly enough that it doesn’t have time to go bad. (Although if they just kept topping up the half-empty bottles, they might have some original ketchup still in there from when the diner first opened.) ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2018, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-refrigerate-your-ketchup/808035/17 "2018-02-02T16:41:06Z")
We refrigerate all opened liquids around Casa **Silenus** , except hot sauces, which can fend for themselves. This includes not only regular ketchup but my go-to Heinz Caramelized Onion and Bacon ketchup. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2018, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-refrigerate-your-ketchup/808035/18 "2018-02-02T16:43:15Z")
In our house, condiments, syrup, etc. go in the fridge. Patterns of use tend to be irregular, and I’m a lot more confident that essentially nothing will grow in a bottle of syrup or a jar of catsup if it’s in the fridge 90% of the time. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2018, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-refrigerate-your-ketchup/808035/19 "2018-02-02T17:06:59Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > We refrigerate all opened liquids around Casa **Silenus** , except hot sauces, which can fend for themselves. This includes not only regular ketchup but my go-to Heinz Caramelized Onion and Bacon ketchup. I learned my lesson with Sesame Oil and Soy Sauce, though. Best not to refrigerate those. But you probably don’t keep olive oil in the fridge either, do you? ---
**Author:** ![Lucas\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucas_jackson/32/303_2.png) [@Lucas\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucas_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2018, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-refrigerate-your-ketchup/808035/20 "2018-02-02T17:27:03Z")
Olive oil, no way cold. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-refrigerate-your-ketchup/808035.md?page=2)