Is it unsafe to keep opened foods (particularly meats) in metal- foil, cans etc?!
Answers: I was told that it is unsafe to store poultry in foil, but that it should be kepts in plastics (tupperwear, cling wrap etc) because there is some kind of reaction with the metal. Also along the same lines, that it is unsafe to keep foods in aluminium cans after they've been opened, even if sealed airtight. Does anyone have any evidence for or against this claim?
yes it is unsafe to store food in aluminum cans once you open them. Once opened, oxygen reacts with the metal and spoils the food and you can get a serious food poisoning called "Botulism." This applies to canned dog and cat food as well. It is a bad illness and can be fatal. When you open a can, look inside to see what the lining of the can is made of. Because of the risk of Botulism, a lot of canned-food manufacturers now use plastic linings instead of metal. Check the inside and if it's plastic, you're OK. If it's metal, you should store the opened contents into a regular plate or tupperwear. About the first part of your question, I've never heard of it being dangerous to keep poultry in foil. I think b/c foil isn't actually pure metal like the inside of a can is. (I'm not positive about this one though. I've just never heard of that as being dangerous.) Hope this helps. You can also do a search on "Botulism" for more information.
Tin cans
When you have opened a can of food and you're not using all the food straight away, empty the food into a bowl, or other container, and put it in the fridge.
Don't store food in an opened tin can, or re-use empty cans to cook or store food. This is because when a can has been opened and the food is open to the air, the tin may transfer more quickly to the can's contents.
This advice doesn't apply to foods sold in cans with resealable lids, such as golden syrup and cocoa.
Cling film
Cling film is useful for protecting food but, like many things, it needs to be used correctly.
Not every type of cling film is suitable for using with all foods. Check the description on the packaging to see what foods it can be used with.
There are three main points to remember when using cling film:
* Don't use cling film if it could melt into the food, such as in the oven or on pots and pans on the hob.
* You can use cling film in the microwave, but make sure the cling film doesn't touch the food.
* Only let cling film touch high-fat foods when the packaging says the cling film is suitable for this. High-fat foods include some types of cheese, raw meats with a layer of fat, fried meats, pies and pastries, and cakes with butter icing or chocolate coatings.
Kitchen foil
Kitchen foil, which is made from aluminium, can be useful for wrapping and covering foods. But it's best not to use foil or containers made from aluminium to store foods that are highly acidic, such as:
* tomatoes
* rhubarb
* cabbage
* many soft fruits
This is because aluminium can affect the taste of these sorts of food, especially if they are stored in aluminium containers for a long time.
doesnt sound right to me-as chef for 35 years- cans -foil -cling film all ok
Need to keep teperature down though under 2 degrees pref
thats the critical point - and keep only for a day pref
I don't know about aluminum foil (I use it all the time), but keeping food in opened aluminum cans is not a good idea. There is a high risk of salmonella that way.
yes.dont use it
I always use plastic wrap and/or plastic or glass containers. Food seems to "taste" better that way and stay fresher.