Ketchup should be kept in the refrigerator, says Heinz

With just five words, a recent tweet from Kraft Heinz sparked a bit of discussion about how to store your ketchup.

“FYI,” began the tweet from the UK-based arm of the food and drink company. “Ketchup. Goes. In. The. Fridge!!!”

Kraft Heinz, whose ketchup is one of the popular condiments, shared the heavily interrupted statement on Tuesday in a tweet that reached more than 4 million people.

A day later, the company asked the public via a Twitter poll whether they kept their ketchup refrigerated or in the pantry.

‘Where do you keep yours? It has to… in the fridge!” the poll said. The answer of “refrigerator” seemed to be the consensus, according to 63.2 percent of the more than 13,000 votes cast, the poll results showed. Meanwhile, 36.8 percent of respondents said they prefer their ketchup in the cupboard.

Some Twitter users expressing distaste for cold ketchup pointed out that room temperature ketchup bottles are kept on tables in restaurants. Other users didn’t understand the need for a discussion, claiming that once the ketchup bottle is opened, it belongs in the fridge.

In 2017, a Twitter user asked the same question to Heinz’s US branch via the social media website.

At the time, Heinz replied, “Because of its natural acidity, Heinz Ketchup has a shelf life, but must be refrigerated after opening to maintain product quality.”