Is Hot Sauce That Has Been Left Out Of The Fridge Safe to Eat?

Hot sauce, derived from hot peppers, is a pungent, umami, vinegary, and addictive condiment that adds a kick of heat to savory and (sometimes) sweet dishes. There could be scientific reasons that explain your love for putting hot sauce onto all your food — the compounds in hot peppers interact with your taste buds, encouraging the release of endorphins (hormones that could improve mood, lower stress and pain, and more).

Whether you own one or multiple types of hot sauce, from sriracha to Tabasco to Frank’s Red Hot, you might wonder if it is necessary to refrigerate them when opened. Some netizens say you absolutely should refrigerate while others indicate this is unnecessary. Here, food scientist Dr. Bryan Quoc Le, Ph.D clears up the confusion.

Do You Really Have to Refrigerate Hot Sauce? 

The truth is most hot sauces contain enough salt and vinegar or other acids that are natural preservatives, ensuring the hot sauces aren’t hospitable to foodborne pathogens. Still, this doesn’t mean that hot sauce won’t ever go bad, according to Quoc Le.

 Indeed, hot sauces don’t spoil as fast as perishable items such as dairy and produce. But when hot sauce is left out at room temperature, it is susceptible to oxidation from air where microorganisms exist. “When air interacts with the hot sauce, microorganisms can grow, change the flavor, and reduce the product’s shelf-life,” Quoc Le says.

 In other words, if you can finish a bottle within a week or two while ensuring that the condiment is stored with the cap or lid tightly secured, then you can keep it in your pantry and don’t have to refrigerate it. On the other hand, if you only enjoy hot sauce sparingly, placing it in the fridge is a good idea, especially if you plan to keep the bottle for months.

Why Does Hot Sauce Turn Orange? 

The signature red color of hot sauce comes from hot peppers, which are full of beta-carotene. According to Quoc Le, the beta-carotene compounds break down when exposed to air. As time passes, lower concentrations of beta-carotene turn orange and, eventually, yellow.

How Long Does Hot Sauce Last? 

USDA FoodKeeper suggests using hot sauce stored in the pantry within 6 months of the purchase date. While the federal guidelines only indicate that the product stays fresh longer if refrigerated, Quoc Le predicts that hot sauce can last up to 2 to 3 years unopened under ideal conditions—when the fridge’s temperature is 40°F and below.

Whether your hot sauce is left at room temperature or in the fridge, you should toss it if you notice a significant change in color or smell or if you see signs of mold growth.

How to Store Hot Sauce In the Fridge

Keep the hot sauce’s lid or cap tightly closed in between uses. Doing so minimizes the amount of air getting into the sauce content, limiting oxidation and spoilage that can change the sauce’s color and taste, and decreasing its shelf life.  

 Quoc Le says that hot sauce is a relatively shelf-stable product that can tolerate fluctuations in temperature, meaning that you can safely tuck it away on the inner door shelves of the refrigerator. If your refrigerator has glass shelves, stowing hot sauces on those can be particularly beneficial since the material is less vulnerable to fluctuating temperatures.