outside ketchup

[-DEADLY SUSHI-]

I left the darn ketchup bottle on my counter the whole night. A solid 7 hours. :?
There is still lots left in the bottle.... do you folks think its still good?

thanks!

 

[Barbara L]

DS,

Although I prefer it refrigerated, ketchup does not really have to be refrigerated, so it is fine. I read an Ann Landers column years ago about a couple that was actually considering divorce because she wanted it refrigerated and he wanted it in the cupboard. Ann Landers told them to get 2 bottles, but she also added that they had a lot bigger problem than ketchup!

Barbara

 

[-DEADLY SUSHI-]

LOL! I see. Well, thank God! I wont have to buy another one yet. I bought it just last week.
So.... they were going to get a divoce because of ketchup huh?
Anne Landers is RIGHT! They need to get their heads checked.
Some people.... yeeesh...... :?

Thanks for the answer AND the story!

 

[scott123]

Ketchup has one of the longest shelf lives of anything found in the supermarket. That stuff has the half life of plutonium.

It contains copious amounts of three natural preservatives - salt (a ton!), sugar and vinegar. It may darken slightly over time but it's still perfectly fine. I've eaten ketchup years old.

 

[wolfie]

The only things with a longer half life are maraschino cherries. :!: Eons from now when all human life is gone from this Earth the only thing left will be those cherries and the cockroaches that are eating them

wolfie

 

[-DEADLY SUSHI-]

Hey Wolfie! Glad to see ya back.

 

[GB]

Tomatoes actually have a flavor compound in them that is destroyed when exposed to cold temperatures. I do keep my ketchup in the fridge just because that is how my mom did it, so that is how I do it. It is perfectly fine to keep it in the cabinet though, and might even taste better that way since you are not destroying that particular flavor compound. This is why you should also never store your tomatoes in the fridge.

 

[scott123]

GB, although I agree about the flavor compound being destroyed by exposure to cold temps, I have no doubt whatsoever that this compound doesn't survive the heavy processing involved in the manufacturing of ketchup. I promise you refridgeration has no deleterious effects on ketchup.

 

[GB]

I never even though of that. You make a very good point scott123.