Heinz Ketchup

[Andy M.]

A few days ago we got into a discussion about whether or not ketchup required refrigeration. Here's that thread.

http://www.discusscooking.com/forums/showthread.php?t=14902&page=2&pp=10

I looked at the Heinz website's FAQ section to find this:

...and from the Heinz website...

Should ketchup be refrigerated?
Because it is a very acidic product, ketchup does not spoil easily. Once opened, in order to maintain the product's quality more effectively, we do suggest that ketchup (and any other processed food) be refrigerated after opening because refrigeration retards spoilage.


This seems to settle the question but I was bothered by the fact that the Heinz Ketchup bottle in my cabinet did not call for refrigeration after opening.

So....

I posted a question on their website ask why they recommend refrigeration but don't say so on their bottles.

Their first response:

Dear Andy,

Thank you for visiting our web site.

Because of its natural acidity, Heinz Ketchup is shelf stable. However, its stability after opening can be affected by storage conditions. Therefore, we recommend that ketchup, as with any processed food, be refrigerated after opening. Refrigeration will maintain the best product quality after opening.

Should you have any additional questions, please don't hesitate to contact us.

Heinz Consumer Resource Center



Since this dis not answer the question I asked, I asked it again:


Thank you for your response about ketchup shelf life and stability.

My question was...

Why doesn't the label on the bottle say, "Refrigerate After Opening"?


This is the response I received today:

Dear Andy,

While refrigeration is recommended, it is not necessary because Heinz Ketchup is a shelf-stable product. That's why we don't indicate this on our labels.

Should you have any additional questions, please don't hesitate to contact us.

Heinz Consumer Resource Center


I guess this qualifies as corporate doublespeak.

Things that make you go, "Hmmmmm."

 

[Earlzach]

Interesting, Maybe its really not on the bottle so when your at a resteraunt or dinner and you have catsup on the table at room temp you cant complain because the bottle never said it was to be refrigerated? Dunno?
But some do leave it out and refresh it by topping it of with other partial bottles.

 

[KAYLINDA]

very interesting Andy!

 

[Constance]

My grandma didn't refrigerate catsup or mustard. The catsup doesn't spoil, but it does turn darker in color after a while.

So, I wouldn't worry about the catsup sitting on the counter in the diner...it probably gets used up quickly. And if you're going camping or on a picnic, no need to put it in the cooler. But to store for a while, I suggest the fridge.

 

[jennyema]

Andy....

Those poor people get paid to speak and say nothing to you!

I left a bottle of ketchup on the counter open when I went on vaca for 9 days ... It was sorta gross when I returned. I tossed it.

 

[auntdot]

When I grew up we never refrigerated ketchup, just left it in the pantry with no ill effects.

Then when we got married we moved to Miami where anything left out with any odor at all would attract ants.

So we got used to putting almost any food food, including cookies, bread, ketchup, you name it in the fridge and still do so today. But now we are living far north of Miami and although we still do keep the ketchup in the fridge, don't worry if we leave it out.

 

[HeyRobi]

When workng as a waiter as a young buck! When refilling the Ketchup bottles some did smell stonger than others! I think it will spoil if left out long enough or exposed to the open air for a long enough period! A good example is Constance's scenario! I think if the lid stays on it even after opening it, it will stay fresher longer than if left exposed!


Robi

 

[thumpershere2]

I like cold ketchup so always keep it in the frig.Same with mustard.

 

[HeyRobi]

Thats funny I am the exzact opposite! I dont like to put cold ketchup on a hot burger! Probably why I dont like lettuce and tomatoes on my burger it's that cold hot thing!


HeyRobi

 

[SpiceUmUp]

Why don't people understand the differance between a requirement and a recomendation?

Ketchup does not REQUIRE refrigeration. It is recomended for optimum taste. Why is that so hard to grasp? I understood it from the first response.

 

[Robo410]

I rarely use the stuff except as a seasoning sauce in meatloaf, baked beans, etc. I also like the Ketchup with attitude: Fish Stick's best Friend etc. So as I use it infrequently, mine lives in the fridge.

 

[Andy M.]

Why don't people understand the differance between a requirement and a recomendation?

Ketchup does not REQUIRE refrigeration. It is recomended for optimum taste. Why is that so hard to grasp? I understood it from the first response.

It's not a lack of understanding word definitions. It's the manufacturer's two-faced approach. They claim thier product will taste better if refrigerated but don't recommend or require refrigeration on the bottle. Doing so on the website is worthless to the majority of consumers. The product package is where you look for storage instructions.

Consider that thousands of restaurants across the country leave Heinz ketchup bottles on every table. What kind of an uproar would occur if Heinz started printing, "Refrigerate After Opening" on all their bottles? All those thousands of restaurants would switch brands.

 

[SpiceUmUp]

"refrigerate after opening" is intended to keep consumers safe based on the likelyhood of the product spoiling. It is a requirement for products that WILL spoil if left unrefrigerated.

Does DelMonte have refrigerate after opening? Does the store brand? In resturants, where the turnover of the ketchup on the table is FAST, it would likely not matter what was on the lable.

We are you assuming there is something duplicitous about the information you were given?

 

[Andy M.]

...We are you assuming there is something duplicitous about the information you were given?

Why does Heinz recommend refrigeration but not put it on the bottle? Isn't it in their best interests that their product taste its best to the last drop? Does the consumer consider the need to refrigerate a negative for this product? Half the responses to this thread indicate that they refrigerate ketchup.

To answer your question, I'm naturally cynical. Sometimes that's good and sometimes it isn't. So when I evaluate the information in front of me, I can see the benefits of Heinz' "mulit-faceted product storage options"

Why don't you see this as a possibility?

 

[BlueCat]

Their response didn't seem to me as though they were being two-faced. I'm sure a lot of products would last a bit longer if refrigerated, but it's not something that is necessary to keep them from spoiling if used in a fair amount of time.

BC

 

[Constance]

Here's the thing...the catsup doesn't spoil, as such, but it can eventually get mold on top, and refrigeration retards the growth of mold. The catsup sitting out in diners gets used up before that can happen.

 

[licia]

I don't buy Heinz, but I do store the catsup in the fridge. It takes us forever to use a bottle unless gd and gs are here. I made meatloaf yesterday and gs ate about 1/4 cup on his. I suppose he does consider it a veggie. He ate his other veggies very well and finished off his meal with 2 pieces of pumpkin pie. He has started the walk/run program at his school and has really taken it seriously - running lots on his own. He is only 6 years old and has quite a few miles to his credit.