Welcome to our hot sauce haven, where we explore all things spicy and flavorful, answering your burning questions like “does sriracha need to be refrigerated?” Discover the truth about sriracha storage, how it impacts taste and shelf life, and whether refrigeration is necessary for this popular chili sauce.
“Just make sure they are stored in a cool, dry place.” You don’t need to keep it in the fridge. The reason you don’t have to refrigerate sriracha is that its ingredients are resistant to bacterial growth, which is what causes food to spoil and be unsafe to eat: chili peppers and vinegar.
Does Sriracha Go Bad?
In the world of hot sauces, sriracha holds a special place, but like all good things, it raises the question of whether it goes bad. The short answer is yes, sriracha can go bad, but the timeline depends on various factors such as storage conditions, exposure to heat, and whether its been opened or not.
While sriracha doesnt spoil as quickly as many other condiments due to its high acidity, it can lose its flavor, heat, and vibrant color over time. To ensure that your sriracha remains fresh and just as delicious as the first taste, its essential to follow proper storage guidelines, which may include refrigeration.
Its no secret that Sriracha can make any savory breakfast better, from scrambled eggs and breakfast burritos, even bloody marys. And even if you tend to store hot sauce in the fridge, theres no reason to freak out about food safety if you leave a bottle of Sriracha unrefrigerated overnight. In fact, you shouldnt even worry about the safety or quality of the bottles of Sriracha sitting at room temperature on restaurant tables for who-knows-how-long. Thats because Sriracha doesnt have to be refrigerated, even after the bottles have been opened.
The reason you dont have to refrigerate Sriracha is because its ingredients are pretty resistant to bacterial growth, which is what causes food to become unsafe and ultimately spoil. Chili peppers, for instance, have been studied for their antimicrobial properties, meaning that it can inhibit the growth of nasty microorganisms. Distilled vinegar, another main ingredient in Sriracha, is also pretty good at preventing the growth of food-borne bacteria, including E.coli.
But even if you dont have to worry about getting sick from Sriracha thats been unrefrigerated for months, that doesnt mean your Sriracha will taste—or look—exactly the same as it when when you first opened the bottle up. Even though Sriracha wont ever really spoil, every bottle of Sriracha comes with a best before date, “lasered on towards the neck of the bottle. You can feel it with your fingers,” write the manufacturers on their website. Chili peppers also change color over time; thats why older Sriracha sometimes looks brown.
If you want to make sure your Sriracha stays as vibrant red as possible, you can keep it in the fridge. But it wont keep your Sriracha from going bad. The vinegar and chilis are already doing that for you. `
“No, they do not have to be refrigerated,” explain the folks at Huy Fong Foods Inc., the company that created and still manufactures Sriracha in Irwindale, CA. The best way to store bottles of Sriracha, according to the manufacturer? “Just make sure they are stored in a cool, dry place.”
How long can sriracha be left out?
FAQ
Are you supposed to refrigerate sriracha after opening?
Do you need to refrigerate tabasco sriracha?
How long does sriracha last in pantry?
Can Sriracha sauce be frozen?
How do you store Sriracha?
(Sriracha as I know and love—the Huy Fong Foods brand, green-lidded squirt bottle with a rooster on the side— in its original form is a Thai sauce from Si Racha, traditionally used for seafood.) I have it around always, and I tend to store it in the fridge.
Can you leave Sriracha unrefrigerated overnight?
And even if you tend to store hot sauce in the fridge, there’s no reason to freak out about food safety if you leave a bottle of Sriracha unrefrigerated overnight. In fact, you shouldn’t even worry about the safety or quality of the bottles of Sriracha sitting at room temperature on restaurant tables for who-knows-how-long.
Does Sriracha expire?
In fact, Maples explains that Huy Fong Foods, the iconic Sriracha brand, has a “best by” expiration date on its bottle for this reason. “In the pantry, an unopened bottle keeps its quality for up to two years,” she says. “Once opened, if stored at room temperature, the manufacturer suggests that Sriracha’s flavor is best for up to 6-9 months.”
How to store Sriracha hot sauce?
If your kitchen is bright and sunny, then it is best to store your Sriracha in a pantry or any location that does not receive sunlight. Storing Sriracha in the fridge is the best option if you want to preserve the hot sauce’s flavor for as long as possible.