An organizational expert has sparked a debate over food storage after describing the items that should never be kept in the fridge.
Caroline Solomon, 34, from New York, is known as ‘Nice, Caroline‘ on TikTok, where she shares lifestyle tips and useful hacks with her almost 250,000 followers.
The content creator went viral after listing six foods that should not be refrigerated, but her opinion on one popular condiment proved controversial.
Solomon started the list with chocolate, which many people put in the refrigerator to keep it from melting, especially on hot summer days.
Organization expert Caroline Solomon, 34, from New York, went viral on TikTok after sharing six items you should never keep in the refrigerator
The content creator explained that placing chocolate in the refrigerator ‘dulls the taste and leads to a grainy consistency’
Solomon revived an age-old debate when she said ketchup can be stored in the refrigerator or cupboard, even though it is recommended to refrigerate the seasoning after opening.
She explained that cooling chocolate “dulls the flavor and leads to a grainy consistency.”
“Store it in a dark and dry place,” she advised.
Solomon then revived an age-old debate when she said ketchup doesn’t need to be refrigerated.
“You can store the bottle completely in the refrigerator, but it is completely safe to keep it in your cupboard as well,” she noted.
The lifestyle guru went on to say that garlic bulbs are “best stored in a cool, dry place as refrigeration makes them rubbery.”
Next on her list was olive oil, which she explained can “form crystals and solidify when refrigerated.”
Solomon added that basil “is best stored at room temperature with the stems in the water.” She didn’t have basil on hand, so she used other herbs to demonstrate it.
She ended her video with a comment about pastries.
The lifestyle guru went on to say that garlic bulbs are “best stored in a cool, dry place,” while olive oil “can form crystals and solidify if stored in the refrigerator.”
Solomon added that basil “is best stored at room temperature with the stems in the water.” She didn’t have basil on hand, so she used other herbs to demonstrate it
“If you have pastries, muffins and things like that, it’s best to keep them at room temperature,” she said.
Solomon’s video has been viewed more than a million times and received hundreds of comments since it was posted on October 18.
Many people disagreed with her stance on ketchup and argued that it should be refrigerated after opening.
‘Ketchup should be kept in the refrigerator for best results. It helps preserve the flavor,” one person commented.
“So we’re just going to ignore the labels that say refrigerated after opening?” asked another.
“Heinz didn’t literally just launch a public service recently to remind people to put their ketchup in the fridge, lol,” someone else added.
“If you have Danishes, muffins and things like that, it’s best to keep them at room temperature,” she said of storing pastries
Solomon’s video has been viewed more than a million times and received hundreds of comments, but many people disagreed with her ketchup and chocolate recommendations
According to the guidelines on FoodSafety.gov, ‘Refrigeration ensures that commercial sauces and condiments stay fresh longer.’
Heinz also recently weighed in on the debate, with a spokesperson telling DailyMail.com that ‘our ketchup should be in the fridge.’
Commenters from around the world also urged them to keep their chocolate in the refrigerator or it would melt.
‘I live in Florida. “I don’t leave chocolate out of the fridge,” one person said.
“Anyone who has experienced an Australian summer knows you should keep chocolate and sauce in the fridge,” someone else agreed.
“In my country, chocolate goes in the fridge because it literally melts outside,” another added.