FOOD NEWS
These Sauces Don't Actually Need To Be Refrigerated
BY Nicole Quy
Soy Sauce
Unless you have a personal preference for chilled soy sauce, there's no reason why you need to keep your bottle in the refrigerator.
The salt inside is a natural preservative, limiting moisture and preventing bacteria and mold growth. Its fermentation also inhibits the formation of unfavorable microorganisms.
Honey
Unlike other floral, sweet spreads like jams and jellies, honey remains freshest when stored in the pantry, away from moisture and extreme temperatures.
Honey has notably low moisture levels and high acidity. This creates an environment where bacteria struggle to thrive, making honey incredibly durable.
Hot Sauce
Most hot sauces don't need refrigeration. They typically contain natural and artificial preservatives and stabilizers, which inhibit bacteria and mold growth.
Vinegar and salt are two ingredients featured in almost all hot sauces, which create a hostile environment for microorganisms. Capsaicin also helps keep bacteria at bay.
Ketchup
While many debate whether or not to refrigerate ketchup, the truth is ketchup doesn't need to be refrigerated to stay safe thanks to its ingredients.
The vinegar, aided by the natural acidity of tomatoes and the addition of sugar and salt, helps keep the environment bacteria-free, making the overall risk of spoiling low.
Mustard
Aside from containing well-known preservatives like vinegar, mustard is inherently suited to be kept at ambient temperatures based on its core ingredient: mustard seeds.
Mustard seeds naturally contain compounds that also help inhibit bacterial growth, which, added to a fermented environment, make the sauce resilient to any unwanted additions.