In the old days we used to keep opened tins in the fridge. I think you could even buy a plastic lid to fit on the tin. Now we are told to transfer the contents to another container.
Has the construction of tins changed, or is this another example of excess caution? I have never known a tin to start rusting in the timescale involved and even if it did, the rust would be at the top not were the food is.
I'd guess using the tin transfers any bacteria etc on the outside into the fridge. A clean container less likely to do so.
The unopened tin contents will be sterile. The moment the tin is opened, the decay process starts which produces some acid as a result, which will start attacking the tin lining. The deay process is slowed by refridgeration, but not stopped. I dunno what tins are lined with, but I wouldn't want to be ingesting it, probably. So transfer it, unless you know that the contents will be used later today or tomorrow.
I seem to recall that tins for naturally acidic stuff such as pineapple are lined with something else, but I can't remember what. It prolly puts the cost up slightly. Still, I expect Greg will be along soon to correct me.
some are lined with plastic, some with a metal compound.
Decades ago, tin cans were coated with tin to stop them corroding. Tin solder was also used to seal the seams, except when it recrystallises at low, Antarctic temperatures, as the Scott expedition to the South Pole discovered, to their cost. Most modern tin cans contain no tin. They are internally coated with resin to stop the contents corroding the steel.
Everything you wanted to know about tin cans here
when Gregg Wallace visited the Heinz vege soup factory in Bolton I'm sure the employee he was talking to said the metal cans were tin plated.
Even plastic is not 'safe'. The best containers are made by a NZ company using plastic that is ?BPA-free. On sale everywhere. My local Sainsburys has them.
I am cautious about leaving the food in the tin, and have several glass or plastic containers for transfer. I also have some plastic lids called "Homecare pet food can seal" which I sometimes use. I don't have any pets, but I don't suppose people would risk their precious mutts and moggies if it wasn't safe.
I suppose if you washed the outside of the can (removing any paper label) thoroughly before opening it, there would be no more risk of getting bacteria in your fridge than by using your own container?
I thought everyone was submerging their tins in a hot bleach solution immediately they get home these days ?.
Food poisoning stats are going to be interesting for the lockdown period, but the disposable BBQ brigade were busy all along the South Coast on the W/E. Overpowering pong of lighter fuel and piss, where people have relieved themselves.
It happens that Scott formulated :
I/we don't bother, we put the opened tin in the fridge, but covered with one of those plastic tops that comes from those crisps in a tube (name?).
Some tins are plastic lined, which prevents the contents attacking the metal lining. I take care to ensure what ever the lining, that the lining has not been discoloured whilst stored in the fridge - pineapples seem worst for this. We limit to storing no longer than three days.
I'd like to know how many people are injured by ring-pull food can tops compared to traditional blank closures. Especially sardine tins with ring-pulls, what the hell does PHE make of them? with oil around and strong finger forces required. I used to keep back a fairly worn-out butterfly can opener for them, that could negotiate the 4 small radiuses. For traditional tins of tomatoes/beans etc cut 95% round the lid and bend outwards and use part contents, bend the lid inwards for stowing in the fridge till next day. Open lid out with a fork or something, use the remainder and flip the lid back inside and putting in the waste stream, all perfectly safe. If a mouse wanted to get into the council waste-stream and cut itself then tough tittie.
Funny, I like fish, but get very nervy (guaranteed to make things worse) opening some tins. Bearing in mind the need to keep the tin fairly level or you end up spraying fishy-smelling oil/brine everywhere.
There's a brand of tinned "brisling sardine" (aka "sprat" :)) from a company "RIGA" that has a plastic pull off lid that reveals the (hand) packed fish inside.
I have found that the can lasts far longer than the food inside once opened.
As part of the sardine tin filling process seems to be cram in the sardines and then over-fill with oil, does in deed mean the tin needs to be absolutely level while opening. Even so oily fingers seems inevitable with ring-pull device. Butterfly openers of course keep any fingers well away from those sharp edges and no finger forces involved. Of course the ring-pull closures are incompatible with butterfly openers, or at least when ever I've tried this more safety-conscious opening route.
Years ago we were using Felix tinned cat food. They had a competition going where, if you won, a prize was printed on the inside of the lid.
One day I got all excited because I'd won a plastic fork. Trying to straighten the lid, I cut my thumb badly. I had to get a friend to drive me to hospital as I couldn't stop it bleeding without actually holding it. I think it was four or five stitches; I still have a scar.
The nurse was mightily amused, but not as much as the one who was there when I told the consultant I'd snapped the tendon in my pinkie while picking my nose.
Unless we need something immediately, we just leave them in the bag out of the way till we do (or for a few days then put them in the cupboard).
We often only have half a tin of baked beans between us (along with other stuff etc) and I generally put a plastic top on the tin and put it in the fridge. The other day I must have had a senior moment and put it back in the cupboard. The Mrs found it some time (day/s) later and put it in the fridge. When I went to use it the next day I noticed a single small patch of mould about the size of a 5p. It removed it with a spoon, checked the rest as I put them in a microwave pot and gave then their normal heating. They tasted fine because they were fine (of course). ;-)
Is piss flammable then? ;-)
I get the whole having to make do when outside thing (like when camping / hiking) but not doing it en-masse like that, especially when lightweight stoves and cookware are available so cheaply (if you really have to for one day that is).
In the old days, a day out for us somewhere involved a box of mixed sarnies, pork pies, sausage rolls, some crisps and fruit and the like and you were grateful for all / any of it. ;-)
I guess the nearest equiv today would be a 'meal deal' bought near your destination in the car.
Cheers, T i m
If you have arthritis in your finger joints, it can be very painful to try and open a ring-pull can. I have a thing that looks a bit like an enormous fish-hook, without the barb, for levering them open. I got it originally for my wife to use, because with her Parkinson's she didn't have enough strength in her hands to open a ring-pull can directly, but I use it now. One of these
I did a job in Shanghai in the late 1980s. The hotel bar only sold one type of beer, Heineken in cans. But they seemed to have forgotten to line them, any more than three meant you woke up the next day with a metallic-feeling headache. Most odd.
Huh.
I was grateful for a fishpaste sandwich that didn't have too much sand in it.
Owain
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