Should You Keep Ketchup In The Fridge, Or Not?

Do you keep your ketchup in the refrigerator? Vice.com reports, it's the subject of a raging online debate. Restaurants typically leave the ketchup out, either on tables, or a condiment station. Most individuals keep it in the fridge at home. A recent, unscientific poll on Twitter had 77% of respondents saying that's where it belongs. This begs the question, "Are restaurants endangering our health by not refrigerating ketchup?" Foodsafetycoach.com tells us ketchup is pretty resistant to spoilage because of its acidity. On the other hand, air gets into the bottle every time it's opened, allowing bacteria & mold in. This will degrade the color and flavor of ketchup after about 30 days. Having worked in restaurants, I know ketchup doesn't stick around for nearly that long. Heinz recommends refrigerating the product after opening. Good advice since most of us don't use a bottle up in 30 days. I keep mine in the fridge.