Question: We are storing soy sauce in 5 gallon tubs in a 38°F chill room per our customer's request. It has been in storage for 8 months and the customer is now asking if there would be any negative impact if he moved the product to his facility and kept it in a unrefrigerated room subject to temperature ranges of 45°F to 65°F.

Answer: The best way to store soy sauce is refrigerated, especially if it stored for long periods of time. Unrefrigerated, it may lose some quality aspects, since refrigeration helps the flavor and quality characteristics remain at their peak for a longer period.

Because it is fermented, the small amount of alcohol it contains will degrade over time, making the soy sauce seem flat and stale. If unrefrigerated, keep it in  a cool dark place.

Answered by WFLO Scientific Advisory Council (SAC) Chairman Dr. Michael Jahncke, Virginia Tech University.

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