Refigerating Canned Goods
Wagon Paul Jones

11/01/05 		Dear Martha Stewart,

My friends and I are having quite a little quarrel about the "do's" and "do-not-do's" of canned goods. I love canned peaches and I'm lazy, so to keep them cold after opening I simply throw the can into the refrigerator(uncovered) until I get hungry again. The peanut gallery is telling me this is a "do-not-do" because a metal can reacts badly with the temperature inside the refrigerator, making the contents inside possibly hazardous to eat.

Is this true? Does anyone know?

Thanks a mil,
Wagon

ellen

11/01/05 		Hi, Paul,
Martha doesn't know -she soen't use canned fruits- but here is the deal;
acid canned foods and juices- tomatoes, pineapple, sauerkraut, etc, do begin to react with the can once opened, and should be transferred to another container. You will notice the highest class brands even use a white inner coating on the can to protect from any transfer before opening. You can even see a little line at the point where the food, can and air sit.
Non-acid foods, including your peaches, do not try to dissolve the can and can be stored safely in the can.
However, it is medium gross to eat straight from the can! Why not get a glass bowl with a snap on top? Looks much better, shuts up the peanut gallery and makes the kid in you feel taken care of. Besides, then there is room for whip cream or ice cteam...