Keep ketchup in the refrigerator? Or in the pantry? Heinz jumps into debate

Is there really a debate about where to store ketchup after opening it? Apparently, there is, and Heinz has stepped in to settle the argument.

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On June 27, the official Heinz UK account tweeted a brief answer to the question that has caused a viral argument -- keep ketchup in the refrigerator or in the pantry after opening it?

“FYI: Ketchup. goes. in. the. fridge!!!” Heinz tweeted.

Users were quick to respond, especially people who preferred the pantry option, according to People.

“No it doesn’t,” one Twitter user wrote. “You stick to production and I’ll deal with consumption.”

That mirrors the 2019 tweet from rapper Cardi B, who said, “People who put their ketchup in the fridge are not to be trusted.”

According to People, one follower told Heinz UK that, “Never, ever has it gone in my fridge, nor anybody else’s.”

Heinz retorted by writing, “It does and they do. Case (fridge) closed.”

“Of course it does. after opening is this controversial?” another Twitter user wrote.

For years, Heinz has stated that its ketchup should be refrigerated after opening, “Today” reported. In 2017, its website stated that because of its “natural acidity,” Heinz ketchup would be “shelf-stable.”

“However, its stability after opening can be affected by storage conditions. We recommend that this product, like any processed food, be refrigerated after opening. Refrigeration will maintain the best product quality after opening,” Heinz wrote at the time, according to the news outlet.

According to a poll taken by Heinz that was published on Twitter, 63.2% of 13,178 responders said that the ketchup should remain in the refrigerator.

Officials at Heinz’s U.S. headquarters did not respond to a request for comment from People.

On the back of the bottle, labels in the U.S. state, “For best results, refrigerate after opening.” Oh, and “shake well before first use.”

Fine. Now, what about mustard? That’s a debate for another day.