Does ketchup go bad if it is left out of the fridge after being cooled?!
Does ketchup go bad if it is left out of the fridge after being cooled?
My brother and I got into a very long discussion about this. I personally do not believe that ketchup will go bad if left out because restraunts do that. My brother believes a person may obtain an illness from "spoiled" ketchup.
If you would like to help us bring this feud over tomatoe paste to a close, give us an answer.
Answers:
No; as a general rule it will not. Tomato juice and tomato paste were used centuries ago to PRESERVE meat in the hold of ships; it was thought to be poisonous, and people were afraid to eat the tomatoes themselves. Eventually, however, it finally occurred to somebody that the people who DID eat the paste didn't get scurvy (caused by lack of vitamin C, of which tomatoes have TONS). Unless it's REALLY sweet ketchup, it's fine. If in doubt, open up the bottle, check for mold; if you don't see it, and don't smell anything rotten, then it's ok to use. If water has seperated out, shake the bottle well with the top closed, and buy another brand next time, because what you have is cheap stuff ;-)