Tiktoker Names the 6 Foods You Shouldn’t Refrigerate, But Not Everyone Agrees
A TikToker has divided the Internet after posting a video detailing six commonly refrigerated foods that she says require cooling. New York-based influencer Caroline Solomon, better known as Neat Carolyn to her nearly 250,000 TikTok followers, posted the divisive clip last week.
According to Solomon, chocolate, ketchup, garlic bulbs, olive oil, basil, and pastries should not be refrigerated.
Refrigerating chocolate “dulls the flavor and leads to a grainy consistency,” so it should be stored in a dark, dry environment. Garlic, on the other hand, is best kept in a cool, dry place “as refrigeration causes it to become rubbery,” while olive oil can solidify and crystalize. Basil and pastries are best left at room temperature, with the former preferably in a glass of water.
As for ketchup, Solomon tells viewers, “You can totally keep the bottle in the fridge, but it’s entirely safe to keep it in your cupboard as well.”
This tidbit sparked another round in the ongoing debate about proper ketchup storage, with many saying that the condiment must be refrigerated after opening.
6 things you should never keep in the fridge! #fyp #kitchentips #hometips #fridgeorganization #fridgetips #fridge
Many commenters argued that refrigerating ketchup preserved the flavor, while someone asked: “So we just going to ignore labels that say refrigerated after opening?”
In June, the Heinz corporation weighed in on the debate, tweeting out a reminder that “Ketchup. goes. in. the. Fridge!!!”
Where do you keep yours? It has to be… in the fridge!
— Heinz (@HeinzUK) June 28, 2023
When that post spawned its own debate over the issue, Heinz tweeted out a poll for an official vote. According to KCRA 3, of the 11,000 ballots cast, 61.8 percent said ketchup belongs in the fridge, while 38.2 percent said they keep theirs in the cupboard.
“Because of its natural acidity, Heinz Ketchup is shelf-stable, but refrigerate after opening to maintain product quality,” the company said in a 2017 tweet.
Men’s Journal spoke with Solomon, who says she is aware of Heinz’s stance on the matter. However, she contends that little harm can come from leaving your ketchup out. It all comes down to personal preference, she says.
“I’ve been known to leave a bottle of ketchup out for a few days, and nothing’s happened,” Solomon told us. “I also have peers who leave their ketchup out. They themselves are avid ketchup users,” so are savvy to proper storage methods.
“If it’s a condiment you use frequently, you’ll probably use it up before it starts to go off,” she reasoned. “It’s my understanding that no pathogens will grow on the ketchup if you leave it out.”
Indeed, ketchup will not sprout pathogens if left out. However, “some mold could grow there,” Dr. Melvin N. Kramer, president of food safety consultation group EHA, told The Guardian in July.
Still, it seems the risks are fairly minimal. Consider all the ketchup you’ve eaten in your life that hasn’t been refrigerated. “Diners leave their bottles of ketchup out, you have ketchup packets that are left out and nothing happens to them,” Solomon reasoned.
It seems the matter is still very much up for debate.
