It’s an essential item for any home cook, but an expert warns that you should never use aluminum foil to store your leftovers.
Dr. Zachary Cartwright, a food scientist for Aqualab in Chicago, says foil-wrapped foods are at risk of contamination by dangerous bacteria.
Unlike safer options like Tupperware containers and sealable plastic bags, foil does not provide an airtight seal.
Airtight conditions prevent air and in turn oxygen from reaching the food, which is what the most dangerous pathogens need to grow.
“Aluminum foil alone cannot create a completely airtight seal because it is not inherently adhesive and does not conform perfectly to surfaces,” Cartwright told us. Southern life.
Eating leftovers wrapped in foil can lead to serious food poisoning that can even be fatal.
Dr Cartwright’s warning follows an outcry over Tesco’s decision to replace the hard plastic lids on the supermarket’s hummus jars with ‘thin’ lids.
Following Tesco’s decision, experts warned that the flexible lids do not make the hummus jars airtight, allowing microbes such as bacteria, fungi and viruses to thrive.
It’s an essential item for any home cook, but an expert warns that you should never use aluminum foil to store your leftovers
The outage follows the outage over Tesco’s decision to replace the hard plastic lids on the supermarket’s hummus jars (right) with ‘thin’ flexible plastic lids. The hard lids are better at creating an airtight environment for the hummus than the soft lids
Aluminum foil – which replaced aluminum foil on the market decades ago because it is cheaper and more durable – is useful for preparing fish or transporting sandwiches.
But according to Dr. Cartwright, it is not suitable for packaging leftovers, despite the popular practice of doing so.
Much safer options include using Tupperware containers, sealable plastic bags or even cling film, as these can create an airtight seal that helps prevent the growth of microbes.
Examples of high-risk microbes that grow on food include staphylococci (staph) – bacteria that can multiply on food and produce a toxin that causes food poisoning.
Another bacteria is Bacillus cereus, which can produce toxin that causes fever, vomiting, abdominal pain and diarrhea.
Improper storage of aluminum foil also increases the risk of the growth of Clostridium botulinum and Listeria monocytogenes, the expert said.
Although these two bacteria are rarer, both can lead to serious illness.
Clostridium botulinum produces toxins that can block nerve functions and lead to respiratory and muscle paralysis, the World Health Organization warns.
While aluminum foil is often a good way to prepare food or transport your lunch to work, it is not suitable for storing leftovers in the refrigerator.
Aluminum foil replaced tin foil on the market decades ago because it is cheaper and more durable, but its use is not without health hazards
When people eat food contaminated with L. monocytogenes, they can develop a disease called listeriosis, which can be very serious for pregnant women, people over 65, and people with weakened immune systems.
Primrose Freestone, senior lecturer in clinical microbiology at the University of Leicester, also emphasizes the importance of airtight containers for leftover food.
She says you risk “potentially life-threatening food poisoning” if you don’t store and reheat leftovers properly.
She also emphasizes that a typical refrigerator temperature between 37°F (3°C) and 40°F (5°C) is not enough to prevent the growth of all dangerous microbes – which is why freezing may be a better choice.
‘Cold only slows the growth of pathogens such as Staphylococcus or Bacillus cereus,’ Professor Freestone told MailOnline.
‘Only by freezing solids at minus 20°C can food poisoning bacteria no longer grow.’
Additionally, aluminum runs the risk of reacting with acidic and salty foods and leaching into leftovers, such as a spicy tomato sauce, says Dr. Cartwright.
Aluminum intake has been linked over time to neurotoxic developmental disorders and damage to the kidneys, liver and bones.
Electron micrograph of Bacillus cereus, which can produce poison that causes fever, vomiting, abdominal pain and diarrhea
In general, it’s best to use sealable plastic containers for leftovers, which Professor Freestone admits are great for saving money and reducing food waste.
Other good tips for storing leftovers include labeling and dating the containers so you can keep accurate track of what needs to be eaten.
Always eat leftovers within two days and throw them away if you notice any questionable signs, such as unusual odors or textures, that could indicate mold.
“Bacteria are found everywhere in our world, including kitchens – and the food in them,” writes Professor Freestone in a recent article for The conversation.
‘The bacteria that cause food to spoil can grow quickly with the right nutrients, moisture and temperature.
‘Some double in number in just twenty minutes.
“Leftovers are safe to eat as long as you take the proper precautions.
“But if you’re ever in doubt, or think you won’t eat them within two days, storing them in the freezer gives you more flexibility than keeping them in the refrigerator.”