Does Ketchup Need to Be Refrigerated? Here’s the Sticky Truth

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It’s a debate as old as, well, ketchup. Those who keep their ketchup at room temp have likely never gotten sick from doing so and argue that restaurants leave communal ketchup bottles out on tables for hours. Those who keep theirs cold may refer to the instructions on the bottle itself, or even Heinz’s FAQ section, which reads: “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 be refrigerated after opening.”

So, what gives? It really all comes down to your ketchup’s quality and personal preference, but at the end of the day, refrigerating ketchup (and pretty much anything) will extend its shelf-life. Ketchup will last for a year in the pantry if unopened, but once it’s been opened and unavoidably exposed to air, its quality will start deteriorating if it isn’t refrigerated. If chilled, however, an opened bottle of ketchup can last for up to six months, according to the Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. But its quality may begin to deteriorate within the first four weeks of being opened. Oh, and if you’re still wondering about restaurant ketchup, they go through those table bottles way faster than one family or person would. But they’re also filling those bottles for single-day use from a massive bulk container of ketchup that’s kept—gasp—in the refrigerator.

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