John Simmons, senior manager of agriculture for McIlhenny Company, maker of Tabasco, backs up that statement: “Tabasco Sauce does not need to be refrigerated, but should be stored in a cool, dry place, away from direct light Copyright © 2012 EatByDate LLC. However, refrigeration will extend the shelf life of soy sauce, so it’s not a bad idea to store it in the fridge if you don’t go through bottles of it regularly. No, it doesn’t. She leads Kitchn's fabulous editorial team to dream up everything you see here every day. Why doesn’t soy sauce need to refrigerated? … Almost all of them are sold on the shelf anyways, so we don’t even think of putting them into the refrigerator until after they are opened. Salt is a natural preservative. On my huge bottle of Kikkoman soy sauce it says very clearly: “Refrigerate after opening.” And yet I don’t. Does sauce have to be refrigerated? To find out how long other foods are good for, please visit the Dairy, Drinks, Fruits, Grains, Proteins, Vegetables and Other sections of Eat By Date or use the search function below. Kikkoman does say on their soy sauce product page that it should be kept in a cool place. Thanks in large part to its extremely high sodium content, an opened bottle of soy sauce will keep fine for at least a few months at room temperature. In respect to this, does hot sauce go bad if not refrigerated? It won’t go bad if not refrigerated as long as water or other ingredients do not come into contact with the sauce. She lives in Columbus, Ohio with her husband and two small, ice cream-obsessed daughters. Soy sauce, along with most other condiments, are pretty shelf stable. It is a shelf stable product, but to extend its life beyond months and into years then it will remain fresher for longer if kept in the refrigerator. The makers of this fiery chili sauce indicate on the front page of their website that sriracha need not be refrigerated. Faith is also the author of three cookbooks, including the James Beard Award-winning The Kitchn Cookbook, as well as Bakeless Sweets. Nobody I know puts their soy sauce in the refrigerator (and I know a heck of a lot of soy sauce eating folks). Does soy sauce need to be refrigerated? It's sitting right there on the table all day long. Common condiments that don’t require refrigeration include soy sauce, oyster sauce, fish sauce, honey and hot sauce. My Asian friend, an amateur chef, never does. The high salt content of soy sauce keeps it from spoiling. Does hot sauce need to be refrigerated if you plan to use the hot sauce within a small period of time? The answer is no — you don’t need to store an opened bottle of soy sauce in the fridge. Not a Prime Member? Among six types of mustard, a jar of mystery jam and countless other condiments, you’re trying to shove a Costco-size bottle of soy sauce into your refrigerator door. you can keep it in room temperature and it will be fine. If you can’t find a best by date, then you’ve got a production date code and a pretty old bottle of soy sauce. How Long Does Soy Sauce Last?Or, since you see soy sauce sitting out on tables at Chinese restaurants all day you may ask does soy sauce go bad?The shelf life of soy sauce is generally indefinite, the length of time that soy sauce lasts depends on the type of soy sauce and how it … How long will Kikkoman sauces keep after opening? Consider most Asian restaurants if you find this hard to believe. So, the when making the decision as to where to store your soy sauce keep in mind how much you actually use the product in your house. Does Soy Sauce Need to Be Refrigerated? Does soy sauce need to be refrigerated? If you’re reaching for it daily, then keep it handy out on the counter – it’ll be gone soon anyway. All rights reserved. Salt is a natural preservative. It does not to be refrigerated. The products all have BEST BEFORE dates on the back of the labels and should be quite fine up to this date so long as they are refrigerated after opening. To explore butter and the refrigerator, see our refrigerate butter post. Beside above, does Barbeque Sauce need to be refrigerated? There is nothing wrong with storing a sauce like soy sauce in the refrigerator instead of the cupboard. Unlike soy sauce, fish sauce or teriyaki sauce, store-purchased Tabasco sauce does not need to be refrigerated. Don't Refrigerate Soy sauce.Ever notice that soy sauce stays out on the tables at restaurants? Just like fish sauce, soy sauce is fermented and does not need to be refrigerated unless you are keeping it for more than one year. I did a little research and discovered that soy sauce is fine at room temperature. It should be used at the table within one month after opening. However, refrigeration is recommended for more extended storage to preserve the flavor and freshness. Does Soy Sauce Need to Be Refrigerated? you can use it right away after opening the bottle. Just keep in mind that once the bottle is opened, the soy sauce’s flavour can deteriorate, and refrigeration keeps the flavour intact longer. Does soy sauce have to be refrigerated once the bottle is opened? I go to Chinese restaurants and there is soy sauce sitting out on every table. Does soy sauce need to be refrigerated? Trust me, if the Soy sauce has any chance of becoming Rancid, the US health department would have stopped the practice long ago. Suddenly you’re not so sure (and it’s not just because your fridge is too full). Refrigerate? To find out how long soy sauce lasts, see our soy sauce page. Apartment Therapy is full of ideas for creating a warm, beautiful, healthy home. You can read more about soy sauce and the way it’s made at Kikkoman’s soy sauce Q&A. No, it doesn’t. What People Want from a Healer in the Midst of a Pandemic, A Middle School Math Teacher Planning Lessons and Lunch, The Columbus, OH-based Forager Who's Become a TikTok Star, A Food Justice Advocate and Mother Talks Breastfeeding and Herb Gardens, Bryant Terry's Sautéed Cabbage and Roasted Potatoes, Vivian Howard's Baked Pimento Cheese and Sausage. We offer information to educate consumers on how long food really lasts, past its printed date while providing answers and analysis related to food shelf life, food safety, food storage, food substitutions and many other food related questions. Try a 30-day free trial today! After doing a bit of quick researched, I learned that soy sauce does NOT need to be refrigerated. Store non-refrigerated sauces away from direct heat and light. Save Money and the Environment - Stop Food Waste, How To Read Food Labels - deciphering packaging labels. Another small difference is tamari usually has a little more protein versus regular soy sauce. For the best quality, we recommend using the sauces within one month of opening. BARBECUE SAUCE (BBQ SAUCE ), COMMERCIALLY BOTTLED - OPENED Opened BBQ sauce will usually keep well for 1 month when stored in the pantry. Got a tip, kitchen tour, or other story our readers should see? Faith is the Editor-in-Chief of Kitchn. Condiments like fish sauce, soy sauce, and hot sauce do not need to be refrigerated—they contain enough natural preservatives to be just fine at room temp. Do I need to refrigerate my opened bottle of soy sauce? Does hot sauce need to be refrigerated once opened? It turns out that you do not need to refrigerate hot sauce after opening the bottle. Why doesn’t soy sauce need to refrigerated? One of the cool things about fermented foods like fish sauce and miso is that they … “Common condiments such asketchup, mustard and hot sauce are all regularly kept on the table, so don’t feel the need to refrigerate yours.” But here’s a more detailed breakdown on what does and doesn’t need to be refrigerator-bound. They leave soy sauce containers on the tables all day and night. She has helped shape Kitchn since its very earliest days and has written over 10,000 posts herself. That’s the kind of question that naturally pops up in such a situation. While those sauces also last reasonably long, they contain salt that helps in preservation as opposed to acidity, according to a research posted on the NCBI . What do you do? You know that teriyaki is supposed to last quite some time, but that comment about refrigerating it makes you feel uneasy. For example, some hot sauces change color over time if they're not refrigerated , like Tabasco. They say that “As long as no water or other ingredients have been added to the soy sauce, it would not spoil if it had not been refrigerated.” [1] But, they also say that the flavor and quality will remain peak for a longer amount of time if the soy sauce is refrigerated. Kikkoman does say on their soy sauce product page that it should be kept in a cool place. That's because it's fermented and doesn't need to be refrigerated. If it’s a rarely used item, then you might want to stick it in the fridge to keep around until next time it’s needed. The high salt content of soy sauce keeps it from spoiling. Once opened, there are options as to where to store soy sauce. One important thing to note about soy sauce storage is that the flavour and viability of soy sauce deteriorate like any food does, but very, very slowly. It’s just that it will keep its flavor and freshness longer when refrigerated. Nope, soy sauce doesn’t need to be refrigerated…most of the time. You can read more about soy sauce and the way it’s made at Kikkoman’s soy sauce Q&A. Are you supposed to refrigerate or not? It’s just that it will keep its flavor and freshness longer when refrigerated. Does soy sauce have gluten? Always keep the container tightly sealed (this is especially important for sauces that need to be refrigerated). To extend the shelf life of opened barbecue sauce , refrigerate it. Do my o… Worcestershire sauce does not need to be refrigerated once the bottle has been opened, as there is nothing that can spoil in the condiment. If it’s a case where it won’t be fully consumed in a week or two, you should consider refrigeration for the sole reason to keep the hot sauce fresher and better for longer. There is no need to refrigerate soy sauce. Because Our Fridge Is About to Burst PureWow - Katherine Gillen Among six types of mustard, a jar of mystery jam and countless other condiments, you’re trying to … In many Chinese restaurants, the Soy sauce is kept in little glass decanters on the table. Even though soy sauce won’t go bad for a long time, it has a “use-by” or “best-by” date on its label. So what’s the deal? Another note from Kikkoman, helpful if you are having trouble trying to find out if your soy sauce is still fresh using our soy sauce page, is that they started placing best by dates on their product back in 2008. Soy sauce can be kept out on the. 4. Kikkoman Soy Sauce will keep for several months. No, it is NOT necessary to refrigerate soy sauce! Or does it sit out right next to your wok? Friend, you’re in luck, but allow us to explain. on its label. Generally, soy sauce doesn’t require refrigeration (unopened and open). Does soy sauce need to be refrigerated? As long as no water or other ingredients have been added to the soy sauce, it would not spoil if it had not been refrigerated. Dr Schenker says: ‘Sometimes people keep ketchup in the fridge, simply because they prefer a chilled taste, but otherwise it doesn’t need to be refrigerated.’ Brown sauce What the label advises: No guidance about refrigeration, just ‘Best before: see cap’ (HP Sauce). I did a little research and discovered that soy sauce is fine at room temperature. With oven-safe glass and water-tight lids, these food storage containers are ready for action! Finally, while tamari doesn’t have to be refrigerated it’s a good idea. Go to any Asian restaurant. Duck Sauce – Stir fries are a staple in my home and so duck sauce comes in handy when we make Asian themed meals. According to Kikkoman, one of the largest producers of soy sauce, their soy sauce will begin to lose freshness once the bottle is opened and oxidation begins to slowly change the flavor. By refrigerating the sauce, the flavor and quality will remain at their peak for a longer period. Once opened, the soy sauce will start to lose its freshness and the flavor will begin to change. Click to see full answer. Do I need to refrigerate my opened bottle of soy sauce? In terms of health goals, this won’t really be a major factor. . By refrigerating the sauce, the flavor and quality will remain at their peak for a longer period. An unopened bottle of hot sauce easily lasts months, if not years past that date.Once you open the bottle, the condiment should easily retain its taste for a few months if stored at room temperature, and much longer if you refrigerate it. There is a school of thought that Worcestershire sauce should be refrigerated if it is used infrequently, but this does not add to its shelf life. Once opened, the soy sauce will start to lose its freshness and the flavor will begin to change. Does soy sauce actually need to be refrigerated, though? no soy sauce doesn't need to be refrigerated after opening. Does teriyaki sauce go bad? Refrigeration for this sauce is probably optional as well but like soy sauce, purchase smaller quantities if you don’t want to store it in your refrigerator. Soy sauce can be kept out on the counter for a few months. How Long Does Soy Sauce Last Soy sauce, and other soy sauce-based condiments like teriyaki sauce, last quite a long time. I say you are probably fine not refrigerating it.