This tends to occur in the tins of the more acidic tinned foods, such as fruit juices and tomatoes. If you are a regular user of tinned foods, then it may be worth investing in proper storage to lengthen the life of your leftovers. If possible, label the container with the date it was stored.
You can also use plastic lids to preserve the food, but, advises Buchtmann, remember to treat the food as perishable food once it is opened. The good news is that not all tinned foods need to be decanted. Some foods like jam which used to be kept unrefrigerated now have less sugar content, which is good for our health, but means it may need to be refrigerated, so once again check the label instructions.
According to the Food Standards Agency, if your canned food has a shelf-life of less than two years, it will have a 'best-before date' on the label, or tin.
While you can eat the produce after this date, they might have lost some quality or nutrition, advises Lydia. The Food Standards website recommends that you should always check food containers for:. As with all foods, care when handling is important says Dr McCoy, and says it's important to follow these rules:. Wash or wipe the top of the container before opening. This will prevent any bacteria getting into the opened food. Make sure that the surfaces you'll be preparing food on and the implements you are using are clean.
Keep your unopened canned foods at room temperature , ideally in the cupboard. If, when you open the tin and there is an unpleasant or unusual odour, if the contents have an unusual odour or colour, or if you notice that the inside of a metal container or lid is rusted, it's best to dispose of the contents. Food Safety Week is taking place between 6 to 12 November. Find out more here. But after years of hearing that refrigerating food in cans isn't a best practice, it's time to find out if doing so is safe once and for all.
However, both the USDA and Gitanjali Kundu, assistant professor of biology at Brookdale Community College in Lincroft, New Jersey, agree that transferring the leftover food to a glass or plastic storage container can help preserve the food's quality and flavor. Since exposing the food to oxygen also exposes it to bacteria and microorganisms in the air, Kundu recommends always sealing your containers. If you don't, you could risk exposing your leftovers to airborne germs, some of which might make you sick, she says.
There are also concerns about BPA in cans, she adds, which may "leach out from the aluminum and tin. That said, you may want to opt for canned foods that clearly state "BPA-free" when possible. The type of food you've got in that open can can help determine how long you can leave it in the fridge. Highly concentrated canned products, like condensed milk, often stay safe to consume longer than less concentrated foods, like chicken broth, Kundu says, adding that soft canned cheeses like mozzarella will spoil more quickly than black beans, which will keep longer.
Privacy Policy. New Farmers. Disaster Resource Center. An official website of the United States government. Have a Question? After opening canned foods, is it safe to refrigerate the unused food in the can? Information Knowledge Article. Unused portions of canned food may be refrigerated in the can, but to preserve optimum quality and flavor, place the unused portion in a food-grade glass or plastic container.
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