Soy sauce is one of the condiments I can’t live without. It’s also a massive category with iterations and styles that run the gamut, as my team and I covered in our soy sauce deep dive.
As my personal lineup of soy sauces accumulated, I started to wonder if and when they would go bad after opening. If they do, should soy sauce be refrigerated? Should different styles of soy sauce be stored differently?
Soy sauce can be kept unopened in the pantry and away from sources of heat. It’s safe to be left in the pantry once opened, too, but the flavor may change over time. “If you use soy sauce infrequently, it may be best to refrigerate it to extend its shelf life,” Edwards says.
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Published Apr. 12, 2023.
Soy sauce is one of the condiments I can’t live without. It’s also a massive category with iterations and styles that run the gamut, as my team and I covered in our soy sauce deep dive.
As my personal lineup of soy sauces accumulated, I started to wonder if and when they would go bad after opening. If they do, should soy sauce be refrigerated? Should different styles of soy sauce be stored differently?
I asked the experts and the short answer is: It depends.
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Does soy sauce need refrigerated?
FAQ
Can soy sauce go bad if not refrigerated?
What happens if you don’t refrigerate sauce after opening?
Does teriyaki sauce go bad if not refrigerated?
Do you need to refrigerate Tamari soy sauce?
Can soy sauce go bad?
Soy sauce can go bad, but it’s highly unlikely to happen. The typical scenario is that the condiment loses its signature flavor over time, and at some point you find it not good enough to use anymore. When that happens depends on your sauce and taste buds, and can take anywhere between a few months and a couple of years of opening.
What are the bad effects of soy?
There are no negative effects of consuming soy, unless it is genetically modified. On the other hand, children under five years of age should avoid soy and its derivatives. There products contain isoflavores which are phytochemicals with hormonal-like effects.
Does soy sauce need to be refrigerated?
Nope, soy sauce doesn’t need to be refrigerated…most of the time. One of the cool things about fermented foods like fish sauce and miso is that they can technically be left out at room temperature for some time without spoiling. Those microorganisms hanging out in the food don’t just give it flavor; they actually help preserve it, too.
What happens if you don’t open a bottle of soy sauce?
The worst-case scenario is that its quality will deteriorate quicker, and you might need to visit your grocery store and buy a new bottle quicker than you’d like. All an unopened bottle of soy sauce needs is a cool and dry area, like a kitchen cupboard or a shelf in the pantry.