What Happens If You Dont Refrigerate Worcestershire Sauce
Worcestershire sauce does not go bad if you do not refrigerate it if you use it up within a year. It does not necessarily have to stay refrigerated in order to enjoy its longer shelf life. However, the high acidity and vinegar content of the sauce makes it a risky proposition to store without proper refrigeration.
Once opened, Worcestershire is best stored in the fridge to maximize its shelf life, but can be kept in your pantry as well — just do not keep it going back and forth, keeping it one place or another. Even if you open it 3 years later (typical shelf life for this English Sauce[HFS]) from bottled, you should feel almost no difference between it and fresh. Worcestershire sauce does not necessarily have to stay refrigerated in order to enjoy its longer shelf life, even if you have opened a bottle.
Since ingredients like vinegar and soy do not require refrigeration in order to remain in good, safe conditions, you can store your Worcestershire sauce outdoors quite easily. If proper preservation procedures are followed, you should be able to store your unopened Worcestershire sauce outdoors for at least five years beyond its best-by date, though your sauce can survive considerably longer than this. An opened bottle of Worcestershire sauce kept refrigerated will last about three years after you open it.
Keep in mind this is more a quality issue than a safety issue; your opened bottle of Worcestershire sauce is likely to be still safe in three years, but the quality is likely to have degraded and made it less fit to be used. You could definitely keep using a Worcestershire sauce that has undergone degradation, but you will likely be better served by getting a bottle that actually tastes the way that Worcestershire sauce is supposed to. The worst thing that could happen is the sauce would degrade slightly more quickly, and you will have to get a new bottle sooner. There is nothing worse than going to use a bit of sauce, only to discover it is gone, or worse — that it does not taste exactly right.
Of course, if you notice something off in a sauce, such as a changed smell or flavor, throw it out. Even if it seems your sauce has not separated during storage, shake it well before using. It is fine to leave your soy sauce out a few hours for cooking and eating, but the best option is the fridge for long-term storage. You can store this in your fridge to dramatically extend its shelf life, though it will still be fine outside the refrigerator.
If you would like to prolong your hot sauces shelf life, you can store your hot sauces in the refrigerator up to six months. There is very little risk of refrigerating your hot sauce after it is opened, thanks to the two key ingredients, vinegar and salt, that work as preservatives up to eight weeks after it is opened. The amount of naturally occurring preservatives in the bottle is so high that the sauce is shelf-stable and does not need to be refrigerated once it is opened. No Refrigeration Required Common non-refrigerating condiments include soy sauce, oyster sauce, fish sauce, honey, and hot sauce.
| Types | Fridge | Freezer |
| Unopened | 18 months | 3 years |
| Opened | 1 year | 3 years |
This is actually how it is recommended to use for a lot of other high-salt, soy-based condiments, like soy sauce, for example. Unless we have explicit labeling information — that is always going to be the most trustworthy — a general rule is that highly acidic sauces, those that have high amounts of salt, or those that do not have any water in them — basically, oils — may keep at room temperature. The high salt and vinegar content in products like Worcestershire sauce or soy sauce means they will hold up well at room temperature, and therefore manufacturers will not say you need to keep them refrigerated. This is because of the ingredients that comprise the sauce; none of which turns rancid or goes bad when kept at warmer temperatures.
One of the nice things about fermented foods such as fish sauce and miso is that technically, you can keep them out at room temperature for some time and not ruin them. As the maker of soy sauce, Kikkoman, notes, soy sauce does not spoil at room temperature if it has not been added any water or other ingredients. There is plenty of salt in teriyaki sauce, and salt is a natural preservative, so it makes sense it would last a long time without refrigeration. An opened bottle of teriyaki sauce is still safe to eat well after the expiration date, provided that it has been stored correctly.
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Teriyaki sauce is very high in sodium, and only 2 tablespoons (30ml) provides more than 60% of your RDI for that mineral. Before discussing how to best store Worcestershire sauce, first talk about if it will spoil, and how long it will retain its quality. We will cover the ingredients and uses for this kind of sauce, as well as if you should store it in your fridge. Even though it goes through the fermentation process, Worcestershire sauce is not exactly a healthy ingredient, due to the high sugar content, which can lead to exceeding your recommended daily sugar consumption, putting you at risk for obesity and chronic health problems.
The exact answer depends to a great degree on your storage conditions: To maximize the shelf life of an opened Worcestershire sauce, store in a refrigerator at all times, tightly covered. If you are careful with your Worcestershire, a bottle opened 3, even 5, years ago should still be completely usable. After opening your bottles, one of the first things to remember is to seal your containers tightly when they are not being used. Refrigerate any unsold Heinz 57 steak sauce left in the bottle once opened, using any remaining portions within 12 weeks.
Everything else, we should store in the fridge, and we should take special care with any sauce containing eggs (even when pasteurized) or MILK products, which we should throw out 2 to 3 days after opening, just like any cooking preparation containing those ingredients. Any sauces that came into contact with meat or other foods while barbecuing or marinating must be discarded. It is extremely rare that a dog will die as a result of eating pasta sauce, although it is possible if he or she has consumed large amounts, and is experiencing toxic effects.
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Global FMCG giant Unilever has sold off Bertollis pasta sauce, pesto, and mayonnaise businesses to a Dutch firm. Enrico-Glasbest will take over the Bertolli pasta sauce after a transition period of six months, during which the global FMCG giant Unilever will continue to run the brand and have its production handled by a third party.
How can you tell if Worcestershire sauce is bad?
At the very bottom of the container, there may be a layer of sediment. That is only evidence that your bottle of Worcestershire sauce hasn’t been opened in a while rather than a symptom of spoilage. A good shake of the bottle is needed to reassemble the contents.
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Does Worcestershire sauce go bad if not refrigerated?
You are not required to refrigerate opened or unopened Worcestershire sauce, but doing so will help retain its quality for an extended period. If you want to preserve its flavor and quality for more than a year, it is recommended that you refrigerate it, just like any other condiment.
How should I store Worcestershire sauce in the refrigerator?
You can store opened Worcestershire sauce in the refrigerator to help retain its quality and avoid putting it back and forth in either a pantry or a fridge. To further preserve the flavor of the opened sauce, you should refrigerate it in an air-tight container.