refrigerator or not?
Ketchup dispute: Heinz starts a heated discussion about storing the red sauce
Where to put the ketchup once it’s bought?
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In the fridge, or just on the kitchen shelf or the pantry? Opinions differ on that. So much so that not even ketchup giant Heinz could clarify this question.
There are a number of foods that are debatable about how and where to store them. Butter? Tomatoes? chocolate spread? Ketchup? In the fridge – or in the uncooled pantry? However, friendships and family ties are said to have been broken over such disputes, because the question of the refrigerator can spark an extraordinary passion in some people. Surpassed only by the question of whether it is called “der”, “die” or “das” Nutella …
Presumably the company, which is known for various barbecue sauces, meant So Heinz it’s good when it recently tweeted: “By the way: Ketchup belongs in the fridge!” After all, who should know better than one of the most popular ketchup manufacturers? The tweet reached more than five million people – and not everyone agreed with the company. Of course not.
Ketchup: Keep Refrigerated, Right?
“So you all eat cold ketchup on top of hot food?” someone asked in the comments, seemingly disgusted. Another Twitter user agreed, “Eeeewww cold ketchup!” A woman comments: “In restaurants it’s not in the fridge either, but the opened bottles are on the tables!” However, many ketchup fans apparently follow the rule: as long as the bottle has not been opened, it can be left outside the refrigerator, but then inside.
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This is what Heinz recommends. Although ketchup would keep for a long time without refrigeration due to the acid it contains, it will keep even longer in the refrigerator. This also prevents an unsightly brown discoloration. Incidentally, the company also asked people on Twitter how they had previously stored their ketchup: 63.2 percent of the survey participants voted for the refrigerator, 36.8 percent for the pantry. However, one prankster commented: “In the fridge or the pantry, I don’t care. The main thing is not in the food!”