The Great Ketchup Debate: To Refrigerate or Not to Refrigerate?

As we stroll through the aisles of our favorite grocery store, it can be quite confusing to determine which food items need to be refrigerated and which do not. We might assume that if a product is not chilled on the store shelves, then it doesn’t need to be refrigerated at home either. But that’s not always the case.

If we take a closer look at the labels of many products on the grocery shelves, we’ll find a discreet phrase in fine print: “refrigerate after opening.” Unfortunately, not everyone notices this little instruction, and even when they do, some people choose to ignore it. One prime example of this is ketchup.

Heinz, the well-known ketchup brand, actually recommends refrigerating their ketchup once you bring it home. Now, you might be thinking, “But I see ketchup bottles sitting on the shelves at the store, so why does it need to be refrigerated?” Well, Heinz wants to assure you that it’s for the best.

Intrigued by this ketchup conundrum, I decided to investigate it firsthand. In my own kitchen, I picked up a bottle of Heinz ketchup and examined the label closely. And there it was, discreetly placed in small font on the back label, the instruction that read: “For best results refrigerate after opening.” So, the advice is clear…