This Is Where You Should Be Storing Your Ketchup, According to Heinz (2024)

FAQs

This Is Where You Should Be Storing Your Ketchup, According to Heinz? ›

We recommend that this product, like any processed food, be refrigerated after opening. Refrigeration will maintain the best product quality after opening.” Who knows ketchup better than Heinz?

"Because of its natural acidity, Heinz Ketchup is shelf-stable," the brand said. This explains why the product is not found in the refrigerated section of your grocery store. However, the brand maintained that consumers should "refrigerate after opening to maintain product quality."

Most manufacturers will encourage you to keep it in the refrigerator to maintain the intended flavor, but if you enjoy room-temperature ketchup, and eat it quickly enough that it doesn't separate or form microbes, you're safe to continue doing so.

When the ketchup bottle is unopened, refrigeration has a negligible impact on its longevity. However, once the bottle is opened, the introduction of air can expedite its deterioration. Hence, refrigeration may help maintain the quality and flavor of the product following the initial opening.

Food safety experts say that while ketchup is shelf-stable, it generally tastes better when kept cold. “I'm shocked there's a controversy,” said Martin Bucknavage, a food safety specialist at Penn State University. “If you want to maximize the quality of your ketchup, you keep it in the fridge.”

Its name comes the historical advertising slogan "57 Varieties" by the H. J. Heinz Company located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States.

However, in 2013 Heinz was acquired by a new company with a new CEO, Bernado Hees. Hees was the former CEO of Burger King, McDonald's fast food rival. Because of Hees' history with Burger King, McDonald's decided to end its 40-year partnership with Heinz and produce its own ketchup instead.

Unless you're a busy diner going through and refilling ketchup bottles every day or two, you should store your ketchup in the fridge. This is because, just like pickles, the flavor and texture declines after you open the bottle or jar and the ketchup is exposed to air.

Despite Heinz' stance, the United States Department of Agriculture says shelf-stable foods like ketchup do not require refrigeration. However, doing so "may decrease in freshness and quality (texture and color) if eaten months or years past the expiration date."

But, again, you shouldn't leave ketchup unrefrigerated for more than three to four weeks for fear of it spoiling.

Can unopened ketchup go bad? ›

Yes, ketchup can go bad. If unopened, commercial ketchup “can last for up to a year in your pantry,” says Okegbe, but once opened and refrigerated, it should ideally be consumed within six months. If left in the pantry once opened, use up the ketchup within a month to be safe.

Temperature: Ketchup should be stored in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight. Once opened, it's best to refrigerate the bottle to extend its shelf life. Unopened: A pantry or cupboard away from heat sources is ideal. Opened: Refrigeration is recommended; it can last 6 to 12 months this way.

According to The National Peanut Board, an unopened jar of peanut butter can last six to nine months at room temperature. Once opened, they say that it can last two to three months in the pantry before you should move it to the fridge, where it can maintain quality for another three to four months.

This rule is simple. If you prefer unsalted butter, refrigerate it. Same goes for whipped butter. If it creeps above 70 degrees Fahrenheit in your kitchen, all butter should go into the fridge to avoid going bad — even into the freezer if you want to store it for a few months.

Refrigerate eggs to keep them fresher, longer.

While plenty of Americans with small-scale farms or chicken coops at home leave their eggs out on their counter, the FDA recommends always keeping your eggs refrigerated.

It contains high quantities of sugar, salt, fructose, preservatives and corn syrup. All of these ingredients when combined together have an adverse effect on the body.

The '57 varieties' label represents the variety of products that Heinz has, but the number was actually selected at random by founder Henry Heinz himself. He didn't have 57 varieties when the brand began. Instead, it was a clever way to create authenticity and attract customers.

In America, “Heinz” is practically synonymous with “ketchup.” But that won't be true in Israel—at least, not in Hebrew. The country's Health Ministry says that the company can no longer call its tomato product “ketchup” on Hebrew labels because it does not contain enough tomato paste.

Profile of three generations of the family that built an international business giant, and became well-known philanthropists, giving generously to their city and country.