Food safety experts warn you could be using cling film and foil wrong
Storing everyday staples like eggs, raw meat and cooked rice sounds simple, but where you keep them can make a real difference to how safe they are to eat.
It’s not just temperature that matters, either. Food safety guidance warns that kitchen foil isn’t always the best choice for covering leftovers, as it can impact the condition of certain foods and how well they keep.
Food Standards Scotland (FSS) says some ingredients shouldn’t be wrapped in foil at all, and adds that cling film also comes with limits depending on the product. The experts advises people to check the label because “not every type of cling film is suitable to use with all foods”, and packaging should state which foods it can be used with.
They further note that “some type of cling film isn’t suitable to touch high-fat foods”. This includes:
- Pastries
- Cakes with buttercream or chocolate icing – check the packaging before using it
- Raw meats with a layer of fat like bacon
- Pies
- Fried meats
- Cheese
FSS further add that people should “not use it if it could melt into the food, such as in the oven or on pots and pans on the hob”. If you are “using it in the microwave, make sure it doesn’t touch the food.”
Some similar rules apply to kitchen foil. They add: “It’s best not to use kitchen foil or containers made from aluminium (such as aluminium pans) to store highly acidic foods.”
- Limes
- Pineapple
- Cabbage
- Raspberries
- Lemons
- Rhubarb
- Tomatoes
- Many other types of soft fruit
It explains: “Aluminium foil or containers can affect the taste of these sorts of food, especially if they are stored for a long time.”
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