Christopher Kimball’s Milk Street Radio
Oct 23, 2026 · 59 min · 25 segments
New Yorker cartoonist Roz Chast often illustrates the absurdities of everyday life. In her new book, *The Two Saddest Kitchens*, she finds humor in the anxiety of home kitchens—from the forgotten…
Christopher KimballHost
Roz ChastGuestCindy OttGuest
Kristen MigloreGuest
Sara MoultonHostPromo HostHostSo what's the answer to the question, do I need to refrigerate ketchup? I think the answer is sort of.
Why do all the labels on these bottles suggest refrigerate after opening, but then you go to a diner and you see them sitting out all day? And I think there's a few things going on there.
One is that these places, restaurants are going through condiments much more quickly than most people would do at home.
But also, even if they weren't, there are some qualities of condiments, most condiments, I should say, that are inherently more stable than a lot of other foods.
Are we talking about food being less tasty, less attractive, less desirable? Or are you actually talking about getting sick, like the food becomes poisonous or dangerous to eat or both?
So the microbes that cause foods to spoil are not the same ones as the ones that make you sick.
So while something might look unappealing, smell, taste unappealing, it's not necessarily going to make you sick.
And unfortunately, by the same token, even if it looks great, if it's the type of food that can allow pathogens to grow, then it might make you sick, even if it looks just fine.
But in the case of condiments, there's a lot of things going in your favor with condiments.
I found one website, I can't remember where it was yesterday, that an open jar of pickles is good for five to seven days.
And then, of course, we all know that it's months, at least in my experience.
So who are you going to trust? I guess you trust the chart that has the least number of days in the refrigerator.
And I did need to interview at least two or three different experts for each type of condiment I was looking into just to try and get some sort of a quorum on it.
And it really does depend, too, on, you know, is this product naturally fermented and unpasteurized? Then it's going to keep fermenting.
If you buy miso in the refrigerated section, it's probably unpasteurized and still fermenting.
So what's the answer to the question, do I need to refrigerate ketchup? I think the answer is sort of.
Why do all the labels on these bottles suggest refrigerate after opening, but then you go to a diner and you see them sitting out all day? And I think there's a few things going on there.
One is that these places, restaurants are going through condiments much more quickly than most people would do at home.
But also, even if they weren't, there are some qualities of condiments, most condiments, I should say, that are inherently more stable than a lot of other foods.
Are we talking about food being less tasty, less attractive, less desirable? Or are you actually talking about getting sick, like the food becomes poisonous or dangerous to eat or both?
So the microbes that cause foods to spoil are not the same ones as the ones that make you sick.
So while something might look unappealing, smell, taste unappealing, it's not necessarily going to make you sick.
And unfortunately, by the same token, even if it looks great, if it's the type of food that can allow pathogens to grow, then it might make you sick, even if it looks just fine.
But in the case of condiments, there's a lot of things going in your favor with condiments.
I found one website, I can't remember where it was yesterday, that an open jar of pickles is good for five to seven days.
And then, of course, we all know that it's months, at least in my experience.
So who are you going to trust? I guess you trust the chart that has the least number of days in the refrigerator.
And I did need to interview at least two or three different experts for each type of condiment I was looking into just to try and get some sort of a quorum on it.
And it really does depend, too, on, you know, is this product naturally fermented and unpasteurized? Then it's going to keep fermenting.
If you buy miso in the refrigerated section, it's probably unpasteurized and still fermenting.
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