Soy Sauce: To Refrigerate or Not Refrigerate

On my huge bottle of Kikkoman soy sauce it says very clearly: "Refrigerate after opening." And yet I don't. My Asian friend, an amateur chef, never does. I go to Chinese restaurants and there is soy sauce sitting out on every table.

So what's the deal? Are you supposed to refrigerate or not? I did a little research and discovered that soy sauce is fine at room temperature. It's just that it will keep its flavor and freshness longer when refrigerated.

Kikkoman does say on their soy sauce product page that it should be kept in a cool place. You can read more about soy sauce and the way it's made at Kikkoman's soy sauce Q&A.

What do you do? Refrigerate? Or does it sit out right next to your wok?

Comments (4)

I always refrigerate my shoyu...maybe cause my parents always did and all the japanese ladies at church do as well
: )

I'm Chinese and I've never seen my friends or family refrigerate their soy sauce.
Same goes with fish sauce. Oyster sauce or chili sauce should be kept in the refrigerator, but most Chinese common-used condiments do not need refrigeration.

I've lived in Japan for 20 years and no one refrigerates their soy sauce! My theory is Kikkoman says that on American bottles (they don't on Japanese ones) so they don't get sued if someone's silly enough to use really old/spoiled soy sauce. America is such a sue-happy country. :P

Never refrigerated! I don't like it cold, I find it tastes less like soy sauce when it's cold.