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Irish Mirror
Irish Mirror
Lifestyle
Michelle Cullen

Expert answers the age old question - Should ketchup be stored in the fridge or the press?

People have debated over where to store their condiments for years, sparking many a dispute between sauce super fans.

But one question, in particular, has always divided Irish people - Where is the right place to store ketchup?

Some suggest storing the much loved tomato sauce in the fridge, while others are adamant that the only place for the staple is in the press.

READ MORE: Customer complains full Irish served at luxury Irish hotel is ‘abomination’ that ‘should be illegal’

Well, we now have the answer after professional head chef Anna Williams shared her expert guidance with AEG on where to store some of the most wasted food items, and it seems both sides of the argument are right to some degree.

Head chef Anna Williams explained: "Mayonnaise can be stored in the cupboard or pantry, but it must be kept away from a 'warm' cupboard, near the oven or hob. Once opened, keep in the fridge with the lid tightly screwed on to stop any mould growing."

Anna explains that this approach should also be adopted for ketchup: "Like mayonnaise, you can store this one in the cupboard and stockpile it too, so you never run out as that is an awful day when your bacon butty is missing ketchup!

"Once opened, store in the fridge with the lid tightly screwed on to prevent any crusty bits forming, also, remember to shake before use as no one wants the tomato water wetting the plate first."

The chef also shared where other popular items such as chocolate, eggs, bread, bananas, potatoes and avocados should be stored.

Chocolate

She said chocolate manufactures have made it clear that chocolate should not be stored inside the fridge but instead in a cool, dry, dark place such as a cupboard or pantry.

Anna explained: "I store mine in a cupboard at home with a cool ambient temperature. But many people don't know that storing chocolate in the fridge can increase chocolate shelf life by 25% and freezing can prolong it by 50%."

"One thing to make sure is that you don't fluctuate chocolate between warm and cool temperatures as that is where blooming can start - those strange looking white bits."

Eggs

Another heavily contested item is eggs.

Anna said: "Eggs are best kept on a middle fridge shelf close to back in the cardboard they come in. This location in the fridge is best to keep the eggs at a constant temperature and the cardboard boxes provide the perfect level of protection, plus it will have the expiry date on.

"Keep any cracked eggs away from others in a bowl as bacteria can form on the porous eggshells and can easily contaminate the other eggs."

Bread

Bread is one of the most commonly binned food items in the home. Anna recommends: "Don't store bread in the fridge! Make sure to always keep bread in an airtight container/bag to try and maintain as much moisture as possible. Often the bag the bread comes in is the best option, just make sure it is tied tightly.

"Little trick if your bread goes stale - add a little water before toasting or baking, which will help to add moisture back into the bread."

Bananas

Another commonly binned food item is Bananas.

Anna said: "This is up for debate. The best way to store them is outside the fridge until they reach your preferred ripeness, and then they can be placed into the fridge to extend their shelf life.

"Beware, bananas ripen at room temperature, so by refrigerating them, their skin will darken and go brown very quickly, although the flesh inside will remain the same."

Potatoes

Anna explains: "You should never store raw potatoes inside the fridge. Although it might be tempting to reduce the rate at which they sprout, the cold temperatures in a fridge actually turn the starch into sugar in the potato.

"Potatoes are best stored in a cool, dry, and dark place such as a cupboard away from the oven, and rather than a sealed container, they are best stored in an open cardboard box or paper bag."

Avocados

Anna said: "For un-ripened, whole avocados, it's best to store them outside a fridge and outside of an airtight box – room temperature helps them ripen.

"But for whole, ripe avocados, fridge storage is best, as this will slow down the ripening process and therefore help them keep for longer.

"For mashed/prepared avocados, it's best to store them in a fridge in an airtight container, but with the top cling film wrapped instead of the container lid."

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