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Ketchup - does it need to be kept in the fridge?
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Posted by: KRS

Restaurants don't keep theirs cold, and when I checked the label, it does not have the standard "Refridgerate after opening" warning.

What do you do with your Ketchup?

Posted by: Darin

I refrigerate it, but i don't think it's necessary.

Posted by: Damian

Yes. Refrigerate it:

Q. Do you need to refrigerate ketchup and mustard after they have been opened? R. Gauthier, Massachusetts

A. We referred your question to Donna Scott, a Food Safety Specialist with the Department of Food Science at the Cornell Cooperative Extension in New York. She advises storing both condiments in the refrigerator after opening. Despite their acidic ingredients, neither condiment is sufficiently acidic to kill bacteria and microorganisms, including mold, that may be introduced to the containers after opening. Refrigeration does not kill bacteria and microorganisms either, but does slow the growth. Refrigerated, ketchup should keep for up to 6 months; mustard, 1 year.

Posted by: Dusty

hmm, 6 months? that's all? uh-oh.

:D

Posted by: Swirl_Junkie

Ketchup is full of vinegar, isn't that what you preserve things in? I do refridgerate, after opening, but I don't think you have to. A restaurant would go through a bottle every few days if not more often. If you left it out in your house it could be months.

Posted by: Bryanmc

What about syrup?

Posted by: KRS

I keep my syrup cold (I think the bottle has the warning), and thus have to nuke some before pouring onto waffles etc.

What about peanut butter?

Posted by: Damian

quote:
Originally posted by Swirl_Junkie
Ketchup is full of vinegar, isn't that what you preserve things in?

Sure, but like the answer said, there's not enough to kill bacteria.

I found more sources saying it needs to be refrigerated, such as the FDA and the Nova Scotia Dept of Agriculture. Inexplicably, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency refers to ketchup as "shelf stable." Maybe they should talk to Nova Scotia.

Posted by: kazymyr

quote:
Originally posted by Bryanmc
What about syrup?

I have a bottle of maple syrup that's been kept on the shelf for 1 year. The smell is horrible, and I haven't tried the taste, for obvious reasons. Does this answer your question? :)

Posted by: Damian

quote:
Originally posted by Bryanmc
What about syrup?

Plain ol' maple syrup does not need to be refrigerated, according to manufacturer Hungry Jack., though it can be if you feel like it.

Posted by: Bryanmc

quote:
Originally posted by kazymyr
Does this answer your question? :)

Yes, but it raises a few others......

Posted by: DaveBogart

I was surprised recently to read on the Hershey's chocolate syrup bottle that it should be refrigerated after opening. Whoda thought you'd have to refrigerate chocolate?

Posted by: Damian

quote:
Originally posted by KRS
What about peanut butter?

Jif recommends refrigerating it if you don't eat it within three months.

Posted by: eweu

Ketchup? No. Ketchup and cold fries do not mix. Fries don't wait for ketchup to come to room temperature. Therefore, the ketchup stays in the pantry.

Peanut butter? Yes. The ingredient list on my peanut butter says "peanuts, salt" and that's it (as nature intended). Refrigerating it keeps it nice and thick.

Posted by: kazymyr

quote:
Originally posted by DaveBogart
I was surprised recently to read on the Hershey's chocolate syrup bottle that it should be refrigerated after opening. Whoda thought you'd have to refrigerate chocolate?

I routinely keep chocolate/candy/syrup in the fridge.

Posted by: betamax

quote:
Originally posted by DaveBogart
I was surprised recently to read on the Hershey's chocolate syrup bottle that it should be refrigerated after opening. Whoda thought you'd have to refrigerate chocolate?

Actually, the product is called Hershey's Syrup. No chocolate involved.

Posted by: Flogduh

It all depends on how fast you consume the bottle. Most restaurants go through a bottle of ketchup within a week, tops. It will not go bad in a week after opening, period.

Posted by: DaveBogart

quote:
Originally posted by Flogduh
It all depends on how fast you consume the bottle. Most restaurants go through a bottle of ketchup within a week, tops. It will not go bad in a week after opening, period.

Except that most restaurants refill the bottles. And I'm not talkin' they wash the bottle and refill it. They just add to whatever's left in it.

Posted by: Damian

quote:
Originally posted by DaveBogart
Except that most restaurants refill the bottles. And I'm not talkin' they wash the bottle and refill it. They just add to whatever's left in it.

Which is pretty nasty. Not to mention unhealthy. Who knows who old the sludge at the bottom is?

Posted by: doom1701

I've known people that don't, and eating at their house hasn't killed me yet.

But, I actually prefer cold ketchup (cold hot sauce, too). Put it on piping hot food. The contrast is like a party in my mouth (wow, never thought I'd use that phrase).

Posted by: Pan Chun

How about Nate's tobasco sauce? :D

Posted by: Rcrew

I keep my Ketchup in the fridge, but only because I like the taste better cold.

I also keep my refilled squeeze bottles of Frenches mustard in the fridge.

BUT years ago I started buying the GIANT jugs of mustard. Man, you get gallons for about $2. That big jug just sits on my shelf. I think it takes me about 18 months to go through it. I just keep refilling the squeeze bottles. Haven't had a problem yet.

Rob

Posted by: DMHinCO

quote:
Originally posted by Damian
Plain ol' maple syrup does not need to be refrigerated, according to manufacturer Hungry Jack., though it can be if you feel like it.

It is possible you are confusing the product that Hungry Jack (or Mrs. Butterworth or whoever) makes with real maple syrup. Try them side by side some morning. The taste difference is remarkable.

Posted by: Damian

quote:
Originally posted by Pan Chun
How about Nate's tobasco sauce? :D

Why bother? Someone's just going to come along and steal it anway. Serves 'em right if they get sick.

Posted by: Otto

When you talk about food going bad, I speak from much experience, as I tend to leave food around for long periods.

Ketchup will eventually go bad if not kept cold. It's not pretty either.

Peanut butter should also be refridgerated. It will go bad after a while and the thing about peanut butter is that you can't tell it has by the smell alone. So you bite down and.. ugh! Ruins your day, let me tell you.

Mustard will go bad eventually if not refridgerated, and goes bad after about 8 months even if kept cold. Mustard is similar in that it's hard to tell when it goes bad. Usually you end up feeling ill after you eat it.

Salsa never goes bad as far as I can tell. It just dries up and becomes solid and inedible. Hot sauce, same thing.

Chocolate syrup will go bad easily unless cold... 1 month or so. It's all the sugar in it.

Maybe syrup, pancake stuff, etc, goes bad after 3 months or so if not kept cold. Smells awful. Like it ferments or something, and no, I'm not tasting it to find out the percent alcohol.

Bread will go bad and get moldy (you knew that), but toss it in the freezer and it'll last forever. Just leave it there and thaw when you want some. Don't freeze an opened bag, it'll get all crumbly. I regularly buy several bread loafs and freeze them, then remove one at a time to consume.

Posted by: Damian

quote:
Originally posted by DMHinCO

It is possible you are confusing the product that Hungry Jack (or Mrs. Butterworth or whoever) makes with real maple syrup. Try them side by side some morning. The taste difference is remarkable.

I live in New England, I can't exactly escape "real" maple syrup. Generally, I don't eat syrup at all. I put confectioner's sugar on my pancakes/waffles/french toast. When I do have syrup though, I prefer the "processed" stuff to the "real" stuff. Real syrup is way too sickly sweet. I couldn't even eat it when I was a kid.

Posted by: Damian

quote:
Originally posted by Otto
Salsa never goes bad as far as I can tell. It just dries up and becomes solid and inedible. Hot sauce, same thing.

Hmm, in my experience mold grows on the chunks. Of course, I probably eat much weaker salsa than you. :)

quote:
Bread will go bad and get moldy (you knew that), but toss it in the freezer and it'll last forever. Just leave it there and thaw when you want some. Don't freeze an opened bag, it'll get all crumbly. I regularly buy several bread loafs and freeze them, then remove one at a time to consume.

I know people that put it in the fridge. Sure it lasts forever but it goes stale right away. I've never heard of the freezer trick, I'll have to give it a shot.

Posted by: Pan Chun

When good food goes BAD!

http://www.captionmachine.com/photos/30.jpg

Posted by: Rcrew

quote:
Originally posted by Otto
Mustard will go bad eventually if not refridgerated, and goes bad after about 8 months even if kept cold. Mustard is similar in that it's hard to tell when it goes bad. Usually you end up feeling ill after you eat it.

Seems we all have different experiences. I've been using the giant jugs for about 8 years now. It takes me at least 18 months to go through one, while it sits open in the cupboard.

And I'm a huge mustard fan, Frenches that is. I eat it a lot. Haven't had a problem yet.

Knock on wood needed, apparently.

Rob

Posted by: Darin

I know this is going to sound odd, but the only food I can think of that I've had go bad in my home was bread. I have had it get mold on it. I've had ketchup & mustard in my fridge for over a year, I keep milk a week or more past the date, and who knows how old my eggs get. I don't know if I've been lucky, or just have such bad taste that I don't realize it's bad. My fridge does have a special milk compartment that keeps it just above freezing, so that probably helps, but I really don't know how to answer the mustard/ketchup thing. I don't refrigerate syrup or peanut butter, and have never had it go bad.

I DID, however, have milk go bad on me here at work. I used to keep it pre-mixed with chocolate protein powder in the fridge here at work. That fridge had a bad problem about keeping things cold enough. One time I drank my protein drink, and it didn't seem quite right, but the milk was no where near the date, and with the powder added it was hard to tell if it was bad or not. The next day, I was not in the office. http://www.quake3world.com/ubb/puke.gif

Posted by: Rcrew

I think it may depend with peanut butter, what kind it is. There are some 'natural' brands that may really need refrigeration. Other brands that have perservatives will likely last longer on the shelf.

If you're buying the kind that comes with the oil separated on top, I'd refrigerate it...

Rob

Posted by: RexTrout

quote:
Originally posted by eweu
Peanut butter? Yes. The ingredient list on my peanut butter says "peanuts, salt" and that's it (as nature intended). Refrigerating it keeps it nice and thick.

For the same reason, I keep my PB unrefrigerated...we use the Smucker's Natural stuff (only peanuts and salt as you mentioned). If you refrigerate it, it stays mixed, but is too sticky to easily spread, imo. So we keep ours unfrigerated and just remix with each use.

Posted by: Kablemodem

In my dad's restaurants we used to refrigerate the ketchup bottles overnight. I don't know which is worse, leaving them out all the time, or letting them get warm and cold day after day. I refrigerate mine.

Posted by: omnibus

On a slightly different note.............ever notice how long the cakes and cookies at your local convenience store stay fresh tasting and feeling.

Look at the ingredients list sometime. Here's a new Murphy's law. "The length of the ingredients list is in inverse proportion to the actual freshness of the item"

Posted by: omnibus

Here's another "The pronounceablility of the ingredients in the ingredients list, blah blah blah"

Posted by: bonehead

quote:
Originally posted by doom1701
The contrast is like a party in my mouth (wow, never thought I'd use that phrase).

Well, at least you didn't use the phrase "meat party in my mouth".

:D

Posted by: Otto

quote:
Originally posted by Rcrew
Seems we all have different experiences. I've been using the giant jugs for about 8 years now. It takes me at least 18 months to go through one, while it sits open in the cupboard.

And I'm a huge mustard fan, Frenches that is. I eat it a lot. Haven't had a problem yet.

Knock on wood needed, apparently.

I think climate makes a big difference. I know that when I was in Missouri, I never had a mold problem, but when I was in Kentucky, mold would even grow on my used teabags after one day. If you live in a dry area, that probably helps stuff last longer.

quote:
Thus spake Damian
Hmm, in my experience mold grows on the chunks. Of course, I probably eat much weaker salsa than you.

I guarantee you eat weaker salsa than I do. That probably makes the difference. If it don't burn your hand then you didn't make it right. :D

And the freezer trick works pretty well, it's just a matter of don't rechill it after it thaws. It doesn't normally go stale from freezing as long as you haven't opened it yet.

Posted by: Demandred

I keep my ketchup in the fridge out of habit, but I go through it so fast I probably don't need to. Believe it or not, I go through one of those big honkin' 44 Oz. bottles every 2-3 weeks. I probably use 90% of that myself - my wife doesn't use that much. But then I eat ketchup on everything. :)

Posted by: Kablemodem

Have you tried the purple or green ketchup? I was tempted to buy it yesterday, but I didn't have the guts.

Posted by: KRS

I hear that Demandred - sounds like my exact situation with my wife. I put Ketchup on virtually everything and she doesn't even put it on her fries!

Posted by: Otto

Ketchup? On FRIES? What kind of sick weirdo are you?!? ;)

I prefer salt alone. Brings out the flavor of the fry. Mmmmm mmmm.

Posted by: Pan Chun

quote:
Originally posted by Otto
Ketchup? On FRIES? What kind of sick weirdo are you?!? ;)

I prefer salt alone. Brings out the flavor of the fry. Mmmmm mmmm.

I'm with you, me boyo...as stated in the French Fries thread! (Though I *will*, on occasion, dip into cheese sauce or gravy when it's warranted!) :)

Posted by: nmiller855

I found out what mustard that has spoiled tastes like. I had an unopened squeeze bottle in my motorhome & used it for hot dogs. It had a very sweet taste even though it had not changed color or smell. I'm not sure how long it had been in the cabinet but it wound up in the garbage.

Posted by: Sinuralan

quote:
Originally posted by Darin
I keep milk a week or more past the date.

Milk is perfectly fine a week after the date. The date is when the store should get rid of that inventory, with the expectation that it will take the customer somet ime to actually finish the product. They've built in a safety margin for ya. =)

For 10 years I've lived in San Francisco, which can be both low and high humidity (often high). We've never refrigerated our ketchup, peanut butter, maple syrup or hot sauce. Never had any go bad, even though we very rarely use it.

We refrigerate chocolate syrup and mustard, though.

Posted by: appleye1

Cold mustard? Yuckkk!

I refrigerate Ketchup. Its made from a vegatable (or is it a fruit) and everybody knows those keep longer in the fridge.

Mustard on the other hand is a spice. Whoever heard of refrigerating a spice?

Maple syrup on the other hand. I can't explain that. I don't refrigerate it, but I can't really say why. I prefer it warm, but I think the real reason is that my mom never refrigerated it. If I were to analyze it enough, I probably would put it in the fridge.

How about coffee? My wife keeps the coffee in the FREEZER. I always thought that was kind of wierd.:confused:

Posted by: Damian

quote:
Originally posted by appleye1
Mustard on the other hand is a spice. Whoever heard of refrigerating a spice?

The mustard people? Look on the side of the bottle. My store brand (Big Y) mustard says "Refrigerate after opening." Mustard isn't a spice anyway, mustard seed is a spice, but that's just one ingredient of many in the condiment mustard.

Posted by: Rcrew

quote:
Originally posted by Damian
Mustard isn't a spice anyway, mustard seed is a spice, but that's just one ingredient of many in the condiment mustard.

Anyone at home with a label?

EDIT: Ok, managed to find out some info, so I deleted the other stuff........

Frenches Mustard " Vinegar, Water, #1 Mustard Seed, Salt, Tumeric, Papprica, Spice, Natural Flavor, Garlic"

Refrigerate after opening.

Guess I really have been lucky for the last 8 years or so. I'll have to start putt'n a chill on the big jugs. Fortunately I have the room to do so....

Rob

Posted by: Damian

quote:
Originally posted by Rcrew
I don't remember anything other than mustard seed and water though.

Well, it is fat free, but I've never seen that few ingredients. Vinegar, for one thing, is absolutely required.
Looking up French's online we have: Vinegar, water, mustard seed, salt, tumeric, paprika, spice, garlic, natural flavor.
Grey Poupon has: Water, mustard seed, vinegar, salt, white wine, citric acid, tartaric acid, spices

quote:
If the Frenches that I used said refrigerate on the label, I wouldn't handle it the way I do.

I think it's one of those things where it's probably not strictly necessary, but the longer it takes you to use it up the better an idea it becomes. Refrigeration certainly doesn't hurt anything, so why not?

Posted by: TreborPugly

quote:
Originally posted by Kablemodem
Have you tried the purple or green ketchup? I was tempted to buy it yesterday, but I didn't have the guts.

I was forced by Burger King into using that Green ketchup back when they were promoting Shrek. It didn't taste like Ketchup. I don't know what it tasted like. I shut my eyes to eat it, to try to minimize the psychological effect, and it definitely didn't taste like ketchup. It was pretty tasteless actually.

Posted by: davidmin

I've seen enough exploding ketchup bottles in restaurants to convice me to put it in the fridge.

David

Posted by: VTechDave

quote:
Originally posted by Kablemodem
Have you tried the purple or green ketchup? I was tempted to buy it yesterday, but I didn't have the guts.

A warning about the colored ketchup: It has enough food coloring in it to overcome the natural red. It will stain almost anything it comes in contact with. We bought one bottle for our kids, and it will be the last.

Posted by: Sinuralan

quote:
Originally posted by Rcrew

Anyone at home with a label?

EDIT: Ok, managed to find out some info, so I deleted the other stuff........

Frenches Mustard " Vinegar, Water, #1 Mustard Seed, Salt, Tumeric, Papprica, Spice, Natural Flavor, Garlic"

Refrigerate after opening.

Guess I really have been lucky for the last 8 years or so. I'll have to start putt'n a chill on the big jugs. Fortunately I have the room to do so....

Rob

I still wouldn't worry too much. Vinegar tends to prevent spoilage. Water doesn't go bad. Mustard seed by itself doesn't. Salt prevents spoilage. The other spices can, when wet, but with all that vinegar and salt it seems unlikely.

Still, if you have the room, can't hurt.

I'll still keep my ketchup in the pantry though. No room in the fridge.

Posted by: FlashingTwelve

saw this, and thought of this.

Table of Condiments that Periodically Go Bad

Posted by: FLbadgirl

quote:
Originally posted by KRS
I keep my syrup cold (I think the bottle has the warning), and thus have to nuke some before pouring onto waffles etc.

What about peanut butter?

I don't refrigerate the syrup or peanut butter. But I do refrigerate the ketchup

Posted by: Rcrew

Wondered why this thread popped up again.

Funny table!

Posted by: Otto

quote:
Originally posted by FlashingTwelve
saw this, and thought of this.

Table of Condiments that Periodically Go Bad

I like the color version better.

Posted by: randyf

It's interesting to see the different spellings of REFRIGERATE in this thread...

While some use refriDgerate most use refrigerate.

Although FRIDGE seems to work better than FRIGE for an abbreviation. :confused:

I have not been able to find refridgerate in the dictionary, but someone always seems to be able to pull up a dictionary where the "odd" spellings / pronounciations are acceptable.

More on topic: I have always refrig.... err.. Kept cold my Catsup ;) even though I see the big vats in Wendy's sitting at room temp all day.

But I have NEVER kept my peanut butter cold. and it sits in the cabinet for months!

Posted by: jerobi

I'm sure SOMEONE in this group is a fan of leaving butter out. My old college roommates demanded that we leave the butter out, as cold butter was too hard for them to put on toast and things.

I cringed every time I walked past the butter sitting on the table for days on end. Then again, this was also the crew that always wanted to take the homemade chicken wings out too early. One does not know pain until one has eaten a pile of undercooked chicken wings. I nearly cried during that four-hour ordeal. From then on my voice of reason won out for cooking times.

My butter stayed cold in the fridge.

Posted by: Rcrew

I never got that either. ex-in-laws always kept the butter in a kitchen cabinet.

It's the fridge for me!

Posted by: jhausmann

quote:
Originally posted by Otto
Ketchup? On FRIES? What kind of sick weirdo are you?!? ;)

I prefer salt alone. Brings out the flavor of the fry. Mmmmm mmmm.

Try it with Ranch dressing, sometime. Yumm...

Posted by: QueenBee

Dang. People keep bringing up these old threads and I keep thinking Pan Chun is back. I fall for it every time!
And what a great place this forum is. 3 pages on whether or not to refrigerate ketchup. :)
{edit} I mean FOUR pages

Posted by: thehepcat

love that table. if only i'd seen it before my unfortunate Miracle Whip experience this weekend :)

just pepper on my fries please.

Posted by: FlashingTwelve

Salt and Vinegar (white) on my fries ;)

Posted by: KRS

At home for the holidays I noticed that my mom keeps the Kraft Parmesean Cheese container in the cupboard and not the friDge (as the label recommends). I pointed this warning out to her, but she didn't want to change her ways since it had never been a problem in the past.

Parmsean is not on the periodic table, so I have no data to go on here. Who else leaves the Parm in the cupboard?

Posted by: Tonybeans

quote:
How about coffee? My wife keeps the coffee in the FREEZER. I always thought that was kind of wierd.

Actually whole bean coffee should be kept in the freezer for long-term storage. Coffee is full of all kinds of compounds that break down rapidly (just a few weeks) when exposed to air, greatly diminishing the flavor quality. Grinding of course accelerates this process exponentially, so you should grind just what you need to use. But you don't want to take it in and out of the freezer either; this will encourage moisture buildup and flavor loss.

As for freezing an open can of Maxwell House, it's not worth the trouble.

Posted by: Tonybeans

quote:
Parmsean is not on the periodic table, so I have no data to go on here. Who else leaves the Parm in the cupboard?

Who knows what's in that green can. It probably will last forever. If you like cheese, next time you make spaghetti or pizza, pick up a whole wedge of Parmesan cheese and shred it fresh. You will never want to see the green can again.

Posted by: DMHinCO

quote:
Originally posted by Tonybeans
Actually whole bean coffee should be kept in the freezer for long-term storage. Coffee is full of all kinds of compounds that break down rapidly (just a few weeks) when exposed to air, greatly diminishing the flavor quality. Grinding of course accelerates this process exponentially, so you should grind just what you need to use. But you don't want to take it in and out of the freezer either; this will encourage moisture buildup and flavor loss.

As for freezing an open can of Maxwell House, it's not worth the trouble.

Tony, you are mostly right. Usually, putting coffee in the freezer still allows it to go bad and also makes it taste like the freezer.
You should only drink it fresh roasted. Disclosure: Shameless self promotion.

Posted by: DMHinCO

I think the periodic table may have an error. Aspartame is shown as N/A, suggesting no expiration. Ever had an old diet drink? Bleccch.

Posted by: Otto

Personal experience intervening again:

Parmesan cheese in the green can goes bad after 6 months of non-refrigeration. It goes bad after 2 years even with refrigeration. And it's hard to tell that it went bad, in fact. Mostly it becomes solidified. In some cases, mold will grow (seriously).

Whole coffee beans can last indefinitely in the freezer, however, after about a year they are badly freezer burned and don't produce very good coffee anymore. Very bitter.

Coffee beans left in the open go "bad" after 3-4 months. By bad, I mean that the coffee produced from them will suddenly, overnight, taste like s***. It's incredible, in fact, and I've experienced it numerous times. Something chemical happens or some such. There's a normal slow decrease in quality the longer you have them, for certain, but then they'll be reasonably fine one day and then just disgustingly horrible the next. I don't know what the hell that's all about, but I've had it happen enough times to know that the effect is real.

Pre-ground canned coffee (Maxwell House, Folgers, etc) becomes undrinkable slop about 1 second before you open the can. You just can't win with that stuff. The vaccum packed bricks are better and even somewhat drinkable, for about a week and a half. Refrigerating grounds has no noticable impact on their longevity.

Posted by: whoknows55

quote:
Originally posted by Otto
I like the color version better.

*Andrew prints this out and tapes this to the fridge*

Posted by: rhuntington3

My ketchup is in the fridge. Always been. Always will be.

Posted by: Spire

quote:
Originally posted by rhuntington3
My ketchup is in the fridge. Always been. Always will be.

Not planning to eat it, huh?

Posted by: rhuntington3

Uh, nope! I've had the lid welded shut to prevent use! Stay away from my ketchup! :D

Posted by: trojanrabbit

My wife insists on keeping the butter out. Hasn't killed me yet.