Does barbecue sauce need to be refrigerated after opening?

Yes. After opening, barbecue sauces that contain tomato, soy, or any dairy-based ingredients, should be refrigerated. This is because these ingredients can spoil quickly at room temperature, and refrigerating the sauce helps slow down the growth of bacteria.

Barbecue sauces that are based on vinegar, on the other hand, may not necessarily require refrigeration after opening, but it is still recommended to keep them refrigerated to maintain the best quality and flavor.