
I’m not confrontational, and I’m usually pretty permissive with other people’s tastes and food preferences (hey, it’s not like I have to eat those accursed brioche burger buns myself).
Until someone puts ketchup in my (tiny) fridge, that is.
Not only do I think it’s a waste of precious space, but I also feel the condiment tastes worse ― more vinegar-y, less fruity and sweet ― after a stint in the cooler. I also reason that the natural preservative-stuffed classic can more than hold its own at room temperature.
My partner, on the other hand, hates the thought of unrefrigerated ketchup. so who’s right?
Annoyingly, it depends who you ask
According to Heinz, I’m in the wrong.
The company’s X account posted in 2023: “FYI: Ketchup. goes. in. the. fridge!!!”
But their official stance on the topic is a little more permissive. “Because of its natural acidity, Heinz Ketchup is shelf-stable,” their site read in 2017.
“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.”
In other words, you CAN store it in the cupboard if you like ― they just don’t think it tastes as good when you do.
Consumer advocacy publication Which? agrees with this expanded version, writing that because the food contains natural preservatives like vinegar and (as Heinz mentioned) acidic tomatoes, it’s no safer in the fridge than on your shelf.
So... what’s the verdict?
Dietitian Dr Sarah Schenker told Which? that it’s down to taste. “Sometimes people keep ketchup in the fridge, simply because they prefer a chilled taste, but otherwise it doesn’t need to be refrigerated,” she says.
Heinz maintains that their iconic product is at its best when chilled, and Martin Bucknavage, a food safety specialist at Penn State University, told The Guardian: “I’m shocked there’s a controversy. If you want to maximise the quality of your ketchup, you keep it in the fridge.”
Dr Donald W Schaffner, an extension specialist in food science and professor at Rutgers University, agreed.
So basically, both work – it’s down to preference. But the preference of most pros (sigh) seems to land heavily on the “chilled” side.