Ketchup Doesn't Need To Be Stored In Fridge, Consumer Watchdog Advises

Where do you store your ketchup? That's the big question.

The chances are you probably keep it in the fridge - and unnecessarily so, if consumer watchdog Which? is to be believed.

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The company surveyed 444 of its members and found that only one in five people properly checked labels to see where condiments and pickles should be stored and for how long.

According to the group, ketchup is fine to be kept in the cupboard because vinegar and naturally acidic tomatoes help preserve it. The company also said the likes of HP Sauce, honey, Branston Pickle, soy sauce and malt vinegar can be stored in the cupboard too.

Interestingly, your ketchup bottle is likely to advise that you keep it refrigerated once opened, though this is to ensure the very best taste more than anything.

Ketchup champions Heinz' official stance is as follows: "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, I suppose your decision really boils down to how valuable your fridge space is.

Lauren Feingold, culinary and nutrition expert and co-founder of SHANTI protein and energy bars, said how quickly you get through your ketchup should also factor into your storage decisions.

Speaking to Today, she said: "The question that you have to ask yourself is, 'How frequently do you use ketchup?' If you love ketchup on your daily eggs and eat a lot of burgers and fries, then you can probably leave it on your kitchen table, much like at a diner. People that use their ketchup more sparsely may choose to refrigerate to ensure longer shelf life."

Perhaps more serious though is when consumers wrongly put condiments in the cupboard when they need to be in the fridge.

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According to Which?, egg-based items such as mayonnaise and salad cream need to go in the fridge, as do pesto, maple syrup, tartare sauce and redcurrant jelly.

The company said: "We discovered a lot of confusion, misinformation and downright bad habits - including ones that could be putting their health at risk."

Topics: Food, Interesting, Community

Jake Massey

Jake Massey is a journalist at LADbible. He graduated from Newcastle University, where he learnt a bit about media and a lot about living without heating. After spending a few years in Australia and New Zealand, Jake secured a role at an obscure radio station in Norwich, inadvertently becoming a real-life Alan Partridge in the process. From there, Jake became a reporter at the Eastern Daily Press. Jake enjoys playing football, listening to music and writing about himself in the third person.

@jakesmassey