Ketchup is one of the UK’s favourite condiments, with more than 30 million Brits picking up a bottle of red sauce in the last year.
Yet one debate continues to rage on among ketchup fans: whether it should be kept in the fridge or the cupboard.
After fielding questions from customers for years, Heinz recently weighed in, with a spokesperson saying: ‘There was only ever one correct answer… our ketchup has to be in the fridge.’
The brand claimed this was ‘the best way to maintain the delicious tangy taste’, but there’s another, much more stomach-churning reason why you should follow this advice – especially now the weather’s heating up.
In a recent poll by Saffron Alley, 59% of the 2,500 surveyed said they keep their tomato sauce in the fridge. According to the meat supplier’s food safety expert Jabraan Ahmed, though, this could be a health hazard.
‘Storing ketchup in the fridge ensures it lasts longer avoiding the breakdown of ingredients at room temperature,’ he says. ‘If the ketchup bottle is stored outside the fridge during summer, fruit flies might lay eggs or leave bacteria on the lid.’
These insects typically lay their eggs on rotting food, as well as in drains, bins, or wherever else they can find moist, organic materials. During mating season, a fruit fly can lay about 500 eggs over the course of its one-week lifespan, going from mild annoyance to full-blown infestation in no time.
As well as being a nuisance, they also have the potential to contaminate food with bacteria and other disease-producing organisms, so it’s important not to leave anything they might be attracted to out where they can get to it.
While a closed cupboard may seem secure, fruit flies are so small they can (and do) squeeze through even the tiniest wall or door cracks, where they’ll make a beeline for the sweet, vinegary smell of your ketchup and do their best to get in the bottle.
As such, the fridge – with its tight seal that keeps pests out – is a far better sauce storage spot.
How to properly organise your fridge
While you’re in there, you may as well give your fridge a rejig too, as Jabraan explains: ‘Proper storage not only helps prevent foodborne illnesses but also extends the shelf life of your groceries, saving you money and reducing waste.’
Firstly, check your appliance is set to the right temperature (3-5°C), using a thermometer to check and adjusting as necessary.
Then, pull everything out, give the inside of the fridge a good clean with a food-safe disinfectant, and put your items back in this order:
- Top shelf: Ready-to-eat foods like leftovers, cooked meats, dairy products, and drinks.
- Middle shelves: Dairy, eggs, and packaged foods that don’t require cooking.
- Bottom shelf: Raw meat and fish, which should be kept in sealed containers.
- Crisper drawers: Fruits and vegetables.
- Door: Condiments, sauces, drinks, and other items that aren’t perishable.
The top shelf has the most consistent temperature, the middle is cooler, the crisper is most humid and the door is warmest, so organising everything like this ensures each product is kept in the optimum conditions.
It’s also vital to store raw meats and fish on the bottom shelf, as this prevents juices from dripping onto other foods and causing cross-contamination which can lead to the likes of salmonella or E. coli.
Once you’ve caught the food safety bug (sorry) it’ll become an unconscious habit to unpack your weekly shop in a way that keeps bacteria and pests at bay.
For the portion of the country who prefer their sauce at room temperature, cold ketchup may take some getting used to – but it’s worth it to avoid a side of flies with your chips.
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