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Why you shouldn’t leave open tin cans in your fridge

If you’re one of those people who keeps food in single-use cans in your fridge, listen up! You should seriously stop doing it. It might be convenient but it’s unhygienic for a start and just looks dodgy.  

Once a tin is opened, it’s immediately exposed to oxygen, which is an environment in which many bacteria thrive. And since you can’t exactly ‘close’ a can again, this means the chance of the food inside fast becoming spoiled, is pretty high. 

Not only has metal been known to leach into the food, but transferring the food to a  container means that it will naturally last longer in its ‘new home’ and still retain its original flavour, or at the very least – taste better than if it was left in a crusty old tin.  

What to use instead? Glass if you can! 

– It’s transparent, so you can easily see the food inside. 

– It’s better for the environment.

– It’s generally microwave friendly. 

Silicone storage like the Stasher bags (now available in SA) or BPA-free plastic is another alternative but be aware that plastic (no matter what form) contains trace chemicals that have the potential to affect animal and human hormones. 

Tip: If you’re unsure of how long an item of food has been in the fridge, label it with the date that you put it in for easy reference. 

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