Does hot sauce need to be refrigerated?

The question of whether hot sauce needs to be refrigerated is a hotly debated topic. Some people believe that because the spicy flavor in the dish remains potent for a long time and doesn't spoil, it can go unrefrigerated without any problem. Other people contend that including vinegar or other acids which break down over time, refrigerator storage should be used as a precautionary measure. What do you think?

It has long been a debate - does hot sauce need to be refrigerated? Most people would assume that the answer is yes, but in fact, it depends on the type of hot sauce. For example, some sauces like Sriracha may last longer stored in the refrigerator versus stored at room temperature. On the other hand, others such as Tabasco contains vinegar as its main ingredient which is acidic and therefore can last longer compared to most other sauces that are not preserved with vinegar or citric acid.

Do you store your bottles of spicy goodness in the refrigerator? Is hot sauce best served cold or at room temperature? We recommend placing them in the refrigerator, because they will last a little longer, but especially the ones made with fruit like our Revved Up Pineapple Bomb hot sauce.

Different sauces can be stored in the fridge for different lengths of time so make sure to read the labels. For any sauce with a jar, you should store it at room temperature and use within one week.

You should refrigerate sauces that are in sealed glass bottles and unopened cans. After opening, you can store them at room temperature or put them in the fridge but they will only last three days so plan accordingly!

Different types of sauce have different storage rules such as barbecue sauce, fish sauce, Sriracha, homemade sauces, (homemade hot sauce), oyster sauce, or tomato sauce which may contain fresh ingredients such as milk or cheese that need to be refrigerated after opening because they cannot stand up to heat over long periods of time and also because these types of ingredients perish faster than other sauces like ketchup or soy sauce.

Check out our article on 5 substitutes for Worcestershire sauce here.

Visitors often ask us whether they should keep their pepper hot sauce in the fridge or not. Chilled bottles last longer and will stay vibrant, but unrefrigerated sauces can still be good for months. The only other catch is that while unrefrigerated hot sauce will still be good for months, it might oxidize faster than a chilled bottle would, which means a vibrant red sauce could shift in color a little bit.