How long you could store catsup and can it be frozen?

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I was referred to your site by an NFSD Coordinator. I was wondering about how long you could store catsup and if it could be frozen. She did not have a definitive answer for me but thought that catsup could be stored for at least six months in the refrigerator. She also said that there is no reason why it couldn’t be stored although some separation may be experienced and therefore need to be stirred vigorously. Is this correct?

You can store catsup, barbeque or chili sauce for 1 year unopened and 1 month after opening (stored in a cupboard). A store opened catsup in the refrigerator for up to 6 months as refrigerating would inhibit mold growth, but it seems to keep indefinitely in refrigerators. The vinegar in catsup (catsup) and sugar reduce mold growth. Even the most popular brands of catsup seem to separate a few drops of clear liquid during storage so I give the bottle a quick shake before using.

As to freezing, never tried that, but sounds reasonable as the ingredients in catsup are tomatoes, vinegar, sugar, salt and spices which should freeze well. If you freeze an unopened bottle, remember liquids expand when frozen and the bottle may break. Since catsup is a cooked product, I wouldn’t expect a lot of separation upon thawing as catsup doesn’t contain a lot of free water.