Does Teriyaki Sauce Need To Be Refrigerated (Does It Go Bad)

Teriyaki sauce is an immensely rich and vibrant sauce straight from the famous cuisine of Japan.

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Does Teriyaki Sauce Need To Be Refrigerated

This versatile sauce can be used in so many ways, such as a marinade for meats, or vegetables, as a soup base for delicious noodles, or even just as a side dip for some good finger food.

There’s a reason that the sauce has retained its popularity not just in Japan, but also across the world.

However, as with any good food, the problem of storage soon rears its ugly head. While teriyaki sauce is generally stored in handy glass bottles, and can take well to a simple kitchen pantry, it won’t last forever.

If you’re reading this now, you’ve probably wondered to yourself whether teriyaki sauce is able to go bad, how long it would take, and whether it might last better within a refrigerator.

You aren’t alone with these questions, so this is why we endeavored to find the definitive answers for you so that you can keep your favorite bottle of teriyaki sauce in tip-top shape!

Does Teriyaki Sauce Need To Be Refrigerated?

Let’s take a look at the most frequent question we usually hear. Teriyaki sauce does not necessarily require that it be refrigerated.

Teriyaki sauce is well known for lasting a long time even in an opened bottle. However, as with just about any food, placing it in the fridge can help to keep its quality up for much longer.

Thus, you certainly can place teriyaki sauce in the refrigerator, if you want to extend its shelf life slightly.

Placing food in the refrigerator helps to protect it from bacteria and mold that normally thrives in warm or room temperature conditions, hence why you might get some benefit from placing your teriyaki sauce in the refrigerator.

Does Teriyaki Sauce Go Bad?

Teriyaki sauce is well known for lasting a decent length of time, even in an opened bottle. This is largely due to its mostly natural ingredients.

Teriyaki sauce contains soy sauce, sake, and Mirin, amongst other ingredients. These ingredients do not decay or become vulnerable to bacteria quite as easily as some others.

However, Teriyaki sauce can still go bad. An unopened bottle of Teriyaki sauce, placed into a pantry, at room temperature, can last for around 3 years before eventually starting to go bad.

If the bottle is opened, and in the same conditions, then it will likely last around 1 year, before spoiling.

You can maximize the lifespan of a bottle of teriyaki sauce, by placing it into your refrigerator, which helps to slow down the decaying process.

An unopened bottle could last in excess of 3 years, while an opened bottle could last upward of 1 and a half years.

Can You Tell If Teriyaki Sauce Has Gone Bad? How Do You Do It?

If you’re wondering whether a bottle of teriyaki sauce has gone bad, you may usually be able to tell by sight.

Does the sauce look different than you usually expect? Have the ingredients begun to split? Can you spot any mold developing towards the top or bottom of the bottle?

You can also try smelling or tasting the sauce. You will be able to tell if it has gone bad, as the taste or smell will have become slightly off, and may be slightly tart or sour.

If you are still unsure whether your teriyaki sauce has gone bad, it is best to go with your gut.

If you wouldn’t feel comfortable consuming it, after looking at it or smelling it, then it would be best to throw it out instead.

It might also be worth checking to see if there is a ‘sell by’ or ‘best by’ date on the bottle.

This date serves to give a sense of how long a product will last before it begins to spoil. If it is past that date, and opened, then it is very likely spoiled.

Is It Safe To Eat Teriyaki Sauce Past Its ‘Best By’ Date?

It’s worth keeping in mind that the ‘Best By’ date for any product is decided by the manufacturer as the best estimate for how long a specific food product will last. This means that there is a margin of error.

In some cases, the product may last less time than the date indicated, or it may last even longer than the date indicates.

Can You Tell If Teriyaki Sauce Has Gone Bad

This means that, in some cases, it is totally safe to consume teriyaki sauce that is past its ‘best by’ date.

‘Best by’ dates also aren’t necessarily a date past which the product will begin to develop mold or bacteria, and instead is an indication of when the product may begin to lose its quality, hence why it is a ‘best by’ date.

This is the date past which the product will no longer be of best quality.

Conclusion

Teriyaki sauce can last a long time, whether opened or unopened or stored in a refrigerator or a pantry.

However, this does not mean that it will last forever, and it can in fact go bad.

In an unopened bottle, placed in the refrigerator, teriyaki sauce can last upwards of three years, which is still a very generous amount of time, thanks to the natural ingredients in the sauce.

Teriyaki does not need to be placed into the refrigerator, but it can really benefit from it, by extending its lifespan even just slightly, so we definitely recommend doing it.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which Is Healthier Soy Sauce Or Teriyaki?

Soy sauce is definitely healthier than teriyaki sauce. Teriyaki sauce, as well as containing plenty of soy sauce, also has lots of sugar, which makes it actively less healthy to consume.

However, even though soy sauce contains less sugar, it still has a very high sodium content, and thus should be eaten in moderation.

Is Teriyaki Sauce Japanese Or Chinese?

Teriyaki sauce originated from Japan, originally. It is not a Chinese sauce.

Is Teriyaki Sauce Alcoholic?

Many teriyaki sauces available on the market do contain alcohol, in the form of Sake, which is a common ingredient in the sauce.

However, it is possible to purchase teriyaki sauces without any alcohol content at all.

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Jess Smith

Hi, my name is Jess Smith, and I love cooking in my spare time. Around three years ago, I decided to give up my day job as a teacher to pursue my passion for food. While I have enjoyed sharing tips and tricks on Social Media, I have decided to expand my horizons through this blog.

Through this blog I hope to help others learn the basics and more intricate details of cooking. I know from personal experience how frustrating it can be to cook a meal, only to realize you are missing one ingredient from your list. This is why I love to write articles chatting readers through some great substitutes that can be used in an emergency.

I hope you will find this blog useful, and that it will help you to develop your culinary skills, to help you cook up a storm!