Acidity

[KAYLINDA]

Can anyone tell me if there is a way to check the acidity level of a product that you would like to store on the shelf rather than refrigerate. In this case it's Home-made BBQ sauce. It's not something I want to "send" somewhere....I was hoping there might be a way to check it ourselves. Ketchup can stay unrefrigerated...so if the base is Ketchup....would it be safe no matter what ingredients were added? Thank you for any help you can give!

 

[marmalady]

It's not only the acidity level I use to determine shelf storage, it's also the sugar content - ie, most jams and jellies don't have to be stored in the fridge, because the sugar also acts as a preservative.


I don't know of anything you could use to measure the acidity level; just a basic knowledge of what acid foods are and then a knowledge of how the product you want to store is made.

I've kept jars of a boubon BBQ sauce in the pantry, and they've done just fine; I think between the alcohol and the sugar, they're pretty well preserved.

I'm betting that ketchup keeps okay in the pantry because of the sugar content.

 

[AllenOK]

Be careful with something like that. One fast food place I used to work at kept pumps of ketchup in the lobby for customers to help themselves. Every couple of days, the pot of ketchup would start to ferment and go bad.

Remember, there are many bottles or cans of stuff that can be stored at room temp before they are opened, but once they're opened, they need to be refrigerated.

 

[Andy M.]

I trust the product labels. If it says 'refrigerate after opening', I do. I figure no one has more of an interest in protecting the quality of their product (and avoiding food poisoning lawsuits) than the manufacturer.

 

[mudbug]

Every couple of days, the pot of ketchup would start to ferment and go bad.

Which is why HH won't eat ketchup now. He used to be in "the restaurant business" (his euphemism for a fast-food joint - I've never asked the details) and apparently dealt with spoiled ketchup all the time.

 

[amber]

I trust the product labels. If it says 'refrigerate after opening', I do. I figure no one has more of an interest in protecting the quality of their product (and avoiding food poisoning lawsuits) than the manufacturer.

but Kaylinda made "homemade" bbq sauce. I too trust product labels, but I'm not sure how long a homemade bbq sauce would last.

 

[amber]

Be careful with something like that. One fast food place I used to work at kept pumps of ketchup in the lobby for customers to help themselves. Every couple of days, the pot of ketchup would start to ferment and go bad.

Remember, there are many bottles or cans of stuff that can be stored at room temp before they are opened, but once they're opened, they need to be refrigerated.

Thats right, and once opened, refrigerate it. Should keep for a few days or so.

 

[Andy M.]

but Kaylinda made "homemade" bbq sauce. I too trust product labels, but I'm not sure how long a homemade bbq sauce would last.

Store bought bbq sauce has to be refrigerated once opened, so I'd do the same with the home made stuff as well.

 

[Piccolina]

Wouldn't chance it myself...if you're low on fridge space I've frozen homemade bbq sauces before and they defrost well (albeit they my need a bit of stirring before you use them to re-incorporate all the ingredients).

 

[Michael in FtW]

Can anyone tell me if there is a way to check the acidity level of a product that you would like to store on the shelf rather than refrigerate. In this case it's Home-made BBQ sauce. It's not something I want to "send" somewhere....I was hoping there might be a way to check it ourselves. Ketchup can stay unrefrigerated...so if the base is Ketchup....would it be safe no matter what ingredients were added? Thank you for any help you can give!

I assume this has to do with your restaurant? Yes, there are ways to check the pH - google on pH meters. Also, check your local food laws ... and double your liability insurance.

Making a big batch of sauce and just sticking it on a shelf for a few days is a time-bomb. There is more to food safety than just the pH.

 

[KAYLINDA]

Mike...respectfully...I know that. I've cooked professionaly for 30 years....been through lots of health men! But my recipe has nothing fresh in it....that is why I want to know. Our customers love this simple sauce....and I make 4 gallons at a time which is normally gone within the week. We keep it refrigerated now....but I just got to wondering why when ketchup can easily last a week unrefrigerated. Thank you ahead of time if you have additional thoughts after seeing the recipe!

BBQ SAUCE



1 GALLON KETCHUP

1-32 OUNCE PACKAGE BROWN SUGAR

1/2 CUP LIQUID SMOKE

1 CUP WATER

2 TABLESPOONS GARLIC SALT

1 TABLESPOONS CAYENNE PEPPER

1 TABLESPOONS BLACK PEPPER

1 TABLESPOONS ONION SALT

1 TABLESPOONS CINNAMON

 

[jennyema]

Once opened, ketchup needs to be kept in the fridge. It can spoil (or begin to) if, after opening, it's left out at room temp.

Delmonte.com says this: "…Ketchup, Chili Sauce, and Seafood Cocktail Sauce will retain their quality for several weeks when stored in the refrigerator. Spoilage will develop over time, and is highly dependent on how long the product is left exposed to the air and upon the temperature at which it is stored."

If you properly can the sauce you can store it in the pantry, but if you are not doing that, I would absolutely keep it in the fridge. Why take a chance?

 

[Andy M.]

Once opened, ketchup needs to be kept in the fridge. It can spoil (or begin to) w/in a week if, after opening, it's left out at room temp...?

Commercially available ketchup does not call for refrigeration. I've never had a problem. Is food service ketchup different?

 

[jennyema]

That's what Delmonte says for their supermarket ketchup.

I have had the stuff go bad on me when not kept cool, but I cannot say that it happened in 7 days, so I will edit my prev post.

But I have seen it "turn."


edited to change Hunts to Delmonte (confused)

 

[Andy M.]

I guess I'd better watch it a bit more closely, thanks.

 

[jennyema]

From Winn Dixie:

<LI>Save Foods If They Have Been Protected From Contamination: Some foods are generally safe without refrigeration for up to a few days. However, double-check each item and discard it if it turns moldy or has an unusual odor or look. These foods spoil and lose quality much faster at warmer temperatures.

• Butter, margarine.
• Fresh fruits and vegetables.
• Dried fruits.
• Opened jars of peanut butter, jelly, relish, taco sauce, salsa, barbecue sauce, ketchup, mustard, olives, oil-based salad dressings.
• Fruit juices.
• Hard or processed cheeses.

 

[Andy M.]

...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.

Excuse me while I go move the ketchup bottle to the fridge.

 

[Andy M.]

Just because I sometimes cannot drop a subject, I sent an email to Heinz about their refrigeration statement (see my previous post) and the lack of an instruction on their ketchup bottles calling for refrigeration after opening.

 

[jennyema]

I always buy Heinz, but I am going to look at the other brands of ketchuo and see if they say refrigerate after opening.

I always put the ketchup and mustard in the fridge but never the soy sauce, as you do Andy. Since I keep 3 or 4 kinds of soy sauce on hand there's no room!

I have no idea who these people are but they have opinions Why Refrigerate ketchup

 

[Michael in FtW]

Kaylinda - I hope you did not take my comments to be disrespectful of you, your experience, or abilities ... I certainly did not mean them that way. Some people are crazy these days and just looking for an excuse to sue someone - heck, if someone can get $2.5 million for burning themselves after they dump a cup of hot coffee in their lap (that they ordered knowing it was going to be hot - and would have complained about if it hadn't been hot) imagine the field day they could have if they picked up food poisoning somewhere else but your restaurant was the last place they ate before they started showing symptoms - guess where they got sick?

That's why I suggested talking to your health inspector about this - he "should" know the laws for your state, county, and city. Sometimes they don't always mimic the federal regulations. While a sauce with a pH of 4.6 of lower "should" be safe on the shelf for a week - there might be some local regulations that say otherwise, ergo - there is more to food safety than the pH. It kind of goes along with the conclusions of the site jennyema posted.

I found an interesting site at NCSU that you might find worth reading. I haven't really explored all of the regulatory sites it provides ... but I probably will when I have the time. From what I have read, and based on your recipe - in theory, your BBQ sauce should have a pH of 4.6 of lower (you'll have to get a pH meter and test every batch to be sure) - so it should be fine on the shelf for a week - depending on your processing.

KETCHUP: I really don't know about this one. I grew up keeping it in the 'fridge - but I just checked the bottle of Hunt's ketchup I have (in the 'fridge - where else) and it doesn't say anything about refrigeration after opening - neither does their website. Since I don't use very much (it might take a year to use a bottle), I guess I'll just keep on storing it in the "retarder".