Expert explains why storing leftovers in aluminum foil could be fatal and you should never do it
Gerrard Kaonga
Featured Image Credit: Getty Stock Images
If you have been wrapping up your food leftovers in aluminum foil for years you might want to reconsider that move according to experts.
The way you store food might not even be something you think particularly much about, you kind of just assume you are doing it right.
If you eat the food a few days later and feel perfectly fine, what is the harm?
Well, food scientist for Aqualab in Chicago Dr Zachary Cartwright has explained how failure to secure your leftovers properly could be a fatal error.
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He insisted that food wrapped in foil is at risk of infection by dangerous bacteria for one simple reason, it isn’t airtight sealed.
He argued that Tupperware containers and sealable plastic bags are the much better and safer option.
Speaking to Southern Living, he said: “Aluminum foil alone cannot create a completely airtight seal because it's not inherently adhesive and [it] doesn't conform perfectly to surfaces.”
He noted this increased chance in bacteria on food can lead to serious food poisoning that can even be fatal.
Primrose Freestone, a senior lecturer in clinical microbiology at the University of Leicester, also stressed the importance of airtight containers for leftover food.
She noted that by failing to properly store and reheat sufficiently, a person risks potentially life threatening food poisoning.
In reference to storing in cold fridges, she told the Mail Online: “Cold only slows down the growth of pathogens such as Staphylococcus or Bacillus cereus.
“Only freezing solid at minus 20°C stops food poisoning bacteria from growing.”
And while you might not think its that important to properly store food, Freestone has highlighted just how quickly bacteria can impact food.
In an article for The Conversation, she wrote: “Bacteria exist everywhere in our world, including in kitchens – and the foods within them.
“The bacteria that cause food to spoil can grow rapidly with the right nutrients, moisture and temperatures.
“Some double in numbers in as little as 20 minutes. Leftovers can be safe to eat so long as you take the right precautions.
“But if you’re ever in doubt, or don’t think you’ll eat them within two days, storing them in the freezer will give you more flexibility than storing them in the fridge.”
So yeah... might just be a good idea to err on the side of caution and buy a couple more airtight containers.