# Do chef’s cover hot food with plastic wrap or aluminum foil?



## Brian Weekley

I just ended a spirited discussion wit a friend over whether it’s food safe to cover hot foods with plastic wrap or aluminum foil. What’s the chef’s view on the subject?


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## chinacats

not a chef but plastic and heat are a bad combination...i use foil...


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## Caleb Cox

Plastic is good if you desire steam and the food isn't broiler hot. After I grill chiles I plate and cover with plastic wrap to loosen the skins, for example. But in general metal takes more heat than polymer, won't melt as easily, or turn into carcinogens when it does get hot. I am not a chef either, full disclosure.


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## pete84

I've always worked under the assumption that plastic wrap should go no further than the boiling point of water, temp-wise.


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## WildBoar

Not a chef here, but I've seen some wrap hotel pans in plastic wrap before going into over at 350 - 400 degF. Seen it a bit on some of the TV shows as well when they go into pro kitchens.

Bear in mind there are different makers and grades/ weights of plastic wrap. They are not all created equal.


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## stringer

It depends. There are at least three different methods commonly employed in professional kitchens and probably numerous variations depending on what you are cooking and what kind of ovens you have. Plastic wrap only is okay if you are using a steam function. There might be some kind of plastic wrap that works in dry high temp ovens, I have never seen it. Second method, plastic wrap first and then aluminum foil on top of the plastic. This is for stuff that's going to go into a dry oven, but you want the steam to stay inside the cooking vessel. The plastic wrap traps the steam inside and the aluminum foil protects the plastic wrap from melting. I use this method for doing braises and cooking rice in the oven. Third method, aluminum foil only. This protects what you are cooking from getting too dark, but allows most of the steam to escape. This is handy for doing something like bread pudding, casseroles, potato gratin, etc. As far as which is the most safe, I have no idea. This is not something that is covered by ServSafe and I have never had a health inspector ask or care what methods we use.


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## atb

Brian Weekley said:


> I just ended a spirited discussion wit a friend over whether it’s food safe to cover hot foods with plastic wrap or aluminum foil. What’s the chef’s view on the subject?


If you mean hot food that is going to be stored, typically what we do is let it cool down in an appropriate place at room temp until its manageable to handle, then let it go in the walk-in uncovered with a lid under the cambro, hotel pan, etc. and lid it once its completely chilled. this way it wont continue to cook or disrupt anything by covering a hot item while it is cooling. If you mean for cooking, we use plastic wrap on our baking frames covered in tin foil and set on a sheet tray in the oven for particular cakes (like financier). Just some examples.


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## Brian Weekley

Thanks to all replying. So it seems there isn’t an inordinate concern with the plastic or foil contaminating the food it touches with chemical contaminants ... which was the essence of the spirited discussion.


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## HRC_64

Brian Weekley said:


> Thanks to all replying. So it seems there isn’t an inordinate concern with the plastic or foil contaminating the food it touches with chemical contaminants ... which was the essence of the spirited discussion.



There is a whole category of plastic (saran) wrap that is rated "microwave safe" for this very reason.



> The USDA says plastic wrap is actually safe to use in the microwave, as long as it's labeled microwave-safe. More importantly, they recommend that the plastic wrap not touch the actual food



However, There are definitely food-safe plastics that are not heat-rated 
(ie for boiling temp water/steam). 

Zip-loc storage bags is a classic example,
although there are surely others.

There are also degrees of heat,
ie 145 vs 212 degrees, etc.

IMHO, people should do homework on whatever 
SKU they are using vs actual projects/ technical needs.


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## Brian Weekley

Thus the reason for this thread and many thanks for the responses. The answer is “maybe” ... but do your homework as it relates to plastic wrap. Ow what about aluminum foil? Is foil safe to contact food under all circumstances?


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## Migraine

I've used clingfilm instead of baking paper for blind baking and it was fine. Someone told me it works - and they also do it on Great British Bakeoff - so I tried it. It doesn't melt. This was just bog standard supermarket cling film. I guess American version might be different but I doubt it.

EDIT: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p01k91p5


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## Keith Sinclair

I let things like rice & pasta cool before storing in refrig. Use more glass these days. Save wide mouth glass jars & have glass snap lid storage containers.


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## atb

Keith Sinclair said:


> I let things like rice & pasta cool before storing in refrig. Use more glass these days. Save wide mouth glass jars & have glass snap lid storage containers.


glass containers in a professional kitchen? or you mean at home?


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## HRC_64

Brian Weekley said:


> Is foil safe to contact food under all circumstances?



Foil is typically aluminum and not safe for certain foods, hence why there is plastic wrap...


> While untreated aluminum is not unsafe, it should not be used with acidic foods, which may ruin both the food and the cookware



Not to go in circles but this is actually worth pointing out...


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## Keith Sinclair

atb said:


> glass containers in a professional kitchen? or you mean at home?



Food storage at home. At work used commercial vacuum sealer a lot. Would let sauces cool before sealing.

At home used to make curry stew & other foods, store it in plastic it gets pretty funky after a while. Started saving gallon glass pickle jars & smaller as long as have wide mouth. Also got a nice set glass storage with sturdy snap lids. Never go back to plastic.


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## Keith Sinclair

atb said:


> glass containers in a professional kitchen? or you mean at home?



Food storage at home. At work used commercial vacuum sealer a lot. Would let sauces cool before sealing.

At home used to make curry stew & other foods, store it in plastic it gets pretty funky after a while. Started saving gallon glass pickle jars & smaller as long as have wide mouth. Also got a nice set glass storage with sturdy snap lids. Only use plastic freezer storage bags.


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## Keith Sinclair

atb said:


> glass containers in a professional kitchen? or you mean at home?



Food storage at home. At work used commercial vacuum sealer a lot. Would let sauces cool before sealing.

At home used to make curry stew & other foods, store it in plastic it gets pretty funky after a while. Started saving gallon glass pickle jars & smaller as long as have wide mouth. Also got a nice set glass storage with sturdy snap lids. Only use plastic freezer storage bags.


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## Keith Sinclair

atb said:


> glass containers in a professional kitchen? or you mean at home?



Food storage at home. At work used commercial vacuum sealer a lot. Would let sauces cool before sealing.

At home used to make curry stew & other foods, store it in plastic it gets pretty funky after a while. Started saving gallon glass pickle jars & smaller as long as have wide mouth. Also got a nice set glass storage with sturdy snap lids. Only use plastic freezer storage bags.


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## Keith Sinclair

At home. Work used commercial vacuum quite a bit, would let sauces cool before sealing. Being in the business very aware of safe temp. zones. Had to convince better half not safe to buy bento boxes esp. seafood that is on sale.

At home used plastic to store leftover curry stew etc. After a while the containers get pretty funky. Started saving gallon glass pickle jars. Smaller jars just so long wide mouth.


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## Keith Sinclair

Sorry about this laptop out of wack found all these post on phone


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## Michi

Keith Sinclair said:


> Sorry about this laptop out of wack found all these post on phone


Well, we _did_ get the message. _Thoroughly!_


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## lowercasebill

I have been cooking in a commercial style kitchen once a week.
The warming oven is set at 199° F.
We cover the steam trays with stretch tight.. No food contact and it stands up to the heat.
At home i use glass or the chamber sealer. Cambro for stocks and soups.


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## stringer

I don't know about risk of chemical contamination from cooking or holding warm food with plastic/aluminum.
Definitely don't do acid with metal in general. It can cause metal particles to leech resulting in metal poisoning. One of the chemists or engineers could tell you more but I think it's a galvanic reaction.
But as a professional sanitarian I can tell you the most likely way you will get sick is improper use of wrap when cooling something off. Never cover something warm and put in the refrigerator. At the very least poke holes in aluminum or plastic wrap to allow heat to vent. Don't over crowd your refrigerator with hot food. Don't let food sit out for hours at a time after it's cooked. Use shallow containers to cool stuff off that conduct heat well. Don't try to cool stuff off in heavy crocks, cast iron, deep pots, etc. The temperature danger zone is 40-140 F (4-60 C). This is the range of temperature where harmful bacteria can thrive and replicate. The goal is to quickly get the food through that zone. Putting a pot of stew in a household refrigerator with plastic wrap tight on it and it might hold in the danger zone for more than 24 hours. Properly cooled food in a well maintained household fridge can easily last two weeks without risk of mold or excessive bacterial growth.


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## Kippington

We do it all the time TBH.
The main reasons we wouldn't, it melts really easily (i.e. in the oven) and we don't cover hot food with anything if it needs cooling (as stringer stated above).

The galvanic reaction occurs when we have a metal container and a different metal cover (such as a steel pan covered in Al foil) with both touching the food. Especially with acidic foods, you end up with an electric battery - like that experiment we've all seen with two different metals in a lemon wired together to create power.


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