Naked Science Forum

General Science => General Science => Topic started by: Carolyn on 08/02/2007 18:27:28

Title: Should you put canned foods in the fridge before opening them?
Post by: Carolyn on 08/02/2007 18:27:28

A friend of mine came over and was plundering in my fridge and noticed several cans of fruit chilling there.  She insisted that you should never put canned goods in the fridge until they are opened and that it was bad for the food. She couldn't give me any reasons why, only that she had heard it or read it somewhere.  Can someone tell me if this true????  Is it bad to refridgerate my cans of pineapples, peaches and pears? And if so, why?

Title: Re: Should you put canned foods in the fridge before opening them?
Post by: neilep on 08/02/2007 19:32:47

Carolyn,

I am amazed at this !!..I too always keep canned fruits in the fridge.......sometimes I like to tuck into peaches and fruit-salad in the middle of the night and having it at room temperature makes it all yucky !!


I wonder if the coolness has a pressure effect on the inside of the can.....Even if it does..I can't see how it would affect it..

great question.....lets hope a passing ' tinned fruit in fridge' expert passes by and answers.

Title: Re: Should you put canned foods in the fridge before opening them?
Post by: DoctorBeaver on 08/02/2007 21:24:21

I was always told you shouldn't leave opened tins in the fridge  [???]

Title: Re: Should you put canned foods in the fridge before opening them?
Post by: neilep on 08/02/2007 21:56:50

Quote from: DoctorBeaver on 08/02/2007 21:24:21

I was always told you shouldn't leave opened tins in the fridge  [???]

I think this is because there will be oxidization on the cut edge of the tin...or something like that !!!

Title: Re: Should you put canned foods in the fridge before opening them?
Post by: Carolyn on 08/02/2007 22:44:10

I never leave opened ones in the fridge.  As soon as I open them they go into a plastic container.

Title: Re: Should you put canned foods in the fridge before opening them?
Post by: Soul Surfer on 09/02/2007 16:32:31

I think that this may be harking back many years when cans involved dipped tin plate and tin based solders to seal them Tin as an element exists in several allotropic forms one of which  (grey tin) is stable at low temperatures  (-10 deg c or below)  This is very weak structurally and tends to turn into powder.  Tins have failed in the past at low temperatures.  nowadays tins are mostly protected by a lacquer that stops them rusting and seals the tightly crimped joints so I don't think that the caution would apply