To fridge or not to fridge? Heinz clears the air on how you should store ketchup

Updated: 11:42 AM EDT Jul 2, 2023

By Ashley R. Williams, CNN

With just five words, a recent tweet from Kraft Heinz sparked a bit of a debate about how you should store your ketchup.“FYI,” began the tweet from the United Kingdom-based branch of the food and beverage company. “Ketchup. Goes. In. The. Fridge!!!”Video above: Which condiments should be refrigerated?Kraft Heinz, whose ketchup is among its popular condiments, shared the heavily punctuated statement on Tuesday in a tweet that reached over 4 million people. A day later, the company asked the public via a Twitter poll whether they kept their ketchup chilled or in the pantry.“Where do you keep yours? It has to be … in the fridge!” the poll stated. The answer of “fridge” appeared to be the consensus, according to 63.2% of over 13,000 votes cast, the poll’s results showed. Meanwhile, 36.8% of respondents said they preferred their ketchup in the cupboard.Some Twitter users who voiced their distaste for cold ketchup pointed out that ketchup bottles are stored at room temperature on tables at restaurants. Other users didn’t understand the need for a debate, asserting that once the ketchup bottle is opened, it belongs in the refrigerator.In 2017, a Twitter user posed the same question to the United States branch of Heinz through the social media website.At the time, Heinz responded, “Because of its natural acidity, Heinz Ketchup is shelf-stable, but refrigerate after opening to maintain product quality."