0:00:02 > 0:00:04There's a lot we don't know about the food on our plates
0:00:04 > 0:00:08and the shops and the labels don't always tell you the whole story.
0:00:08 > 0:00:11I think they encourage you to buy more than you need
0:00:11 > 0:00:13and that causes a lot of waste.
0:00:13 > 0:00:16Whether you're staying in or going out,
0:00:16 > 0:00:18you've told us that you can feel ripped off
0:00:18 > 0:00:20by the promises made for what you eat
0:00:20 > 0:00:22and, indeed, what you pay for it.
0:00:22 > 0:00:25How do you know that it's half-price, right?
0:00:25 > 0:00:27So, what they've done, they've bumped the price up
0:00:27 > 0:00:29and then knocked it down.
0:00:29 > 0:00:33From claims that don't stack up to the secrets behind the packaging,
0:00:33 > 0:00:36we'll uncover the truth about Britain's food
0:00:36 > 0:00:39so that you can be sure that you are getting what you expect
0:00:39 > 0:00:41at the right price.
0:00:41 > 0:00:45Your food, your money. This is Rip-Off Britain.
0:00:49 > 0:00:51Hello, and welcome to Rip-Off Britain,
0:00:51 > 0:00:53where, this series, we're investigating
0:00:53 > 0:00:56everything to do with food. And today, we're going to be looking
0:00:56 > 0:00:59at some of those old pieces of inherited wisdom
0:00:59 > 0:01:03surrounding how you cook, store and eat certain foods.
0:01:03 > 0:01:05And as well as that, we'll be getting to the bottom
0:01:05 > 0:01:07of more of the questions and problems
0:01:07 > 0:01:09that you've asked us to solve on your behalf.
0:01:09 > 0:01:12Now, in many cases, you've been in touch with us
0:01:12 > 0:01:13about the claims made for a product
0:01:13 > 0:01:16or the information that's actually on the packaging.
0:01:16 > 0:01:18But often what's prompted you to get in touch
0:01:18 > 0:01:21is to find out the real truth behind some of those long-held beliefs
0:01:21 > 0:01:24and ideas that can influence not just what we buy
0:01:24 > 0:01:27but what we do with it and how quickly we have to use it up.
0:01:27 > 0:01:31So, today, as we separate quite a few food facts from fiction,
0:01:31 > 0:01:33be prepared for a couple of surprises
0:01:33 > 0:01:37that might even change the way that you do things in your own home.
0:01:37 > 0:01:41And among the nuggets of advice that we'll have along the way,
0:01:41 > 0:01:44you get ready for a method of cooking what is an old favourite
0:01:44 > 0:01:47that you've probably never even considered before.
0:01:49 > 0:01:52Coming up, the warnings saying once food has been opened,
0:01:52 > 0:01:55you should eat it within a certain number of days or weeks.
0:01:55 > 0:01:59Well, we've done some tests to see what happens if you don't.
0:01:59 > 0:02:01So, this is the coleslaw that we tested
0:02:01 > 0:02:04and the manufacturers say that you should eat it,
0:02:04 > 0:02:06after opening, within two days.
0:02:08 > 0:02:09And they may be more expensive,
0:02:09 > 0:02:11but are fresh soups any better for you
0:02:11 > 0:02:13than the ones that come in a can?
0:02:13 > 0:02:15There's this perception that
0:02:15 > 0:02:18if you're going to pay more for something, it'll be better for you.
0:02:18 > 0:02:20That's not necessarily always the case.
0:02:23 > 0:02:26Now, how long can you keep food before it goes off?
0:02:26 > 0:02:28I reckon many of us have got those bottles and jars
0:02:28 > 0:02:31lurking in the back of our fridges and cupboards
0:02:31 > 0:02:33that should have been eaten weeks ago.
0:02:33 > 0:02:34You know the kind of thing -
0:02:34 > 0:02:37the pesto sauce that's been there for ages,
0:02:37 > 0:02:39the lemon curd that's living up to its name,
0:02:39 > 0:02:43and that bottle of cranberry sauce that's been there since Christmas.
0:02:43 > 0:02:46It all sounds really familiar to me.
0:02:46 > 0:02:49Well, even if the label says that, after opening,
0:02:49 > 0:02:52you should eat within four weeks, do you have to obey that?
0:02:52 > 0:02:56Well, one couple who do so religiously contacted us.
0:02:56 > 0:02:59They said they were throwing away so much food
0:02:59 > 0:03:01that they wondered if they were really doing the right thing.
0:03:03 > 0:03:05Delve deep into most fridges
0:03:05 > 0:03:08and you'll probably find stuff that's outstayed its welcome -
0:03:08 > 0:03:12a half-eaten jar or long-forgotten package of something
0:03:12 > 0:03:15that leaves you wondering whether you should polish off the rest.
0:03:16 > 0:03:18It depends what it smells like, I think.
0:03:18 > 0:03:21So, I'll have sort of a whiff and then decide, actually,
0:03:21 > 0:03:23if it's not right, I'm not going to eat it.
0:03:23 > 0:03:27I'm 50 years old and I've never had food poisoning
0:03:27 > 0:03:30and I've always used my common sense around these sort of things
0:03:30 > 0:03:31and been OK, so...
0:03:33 > 0:03:36Here at Rip-Off Britain, we're also great believers
0:03:36 > 0:03:38in a common-sense approach too,
0:03:38 > 0:03:41and, indeed, we've often suggested it's the way to test foods
0:03:41 > 0:03:44that might be slightly past their best before date.
0:03:45 > 0:03:47But sniffing or prodding the contents
0:03:47 > 0:03:51of part-finished containers won't always give you the answer,
0:03:51 > 0:03:54which is why the labels on many foods carry the advice that,
0:03:54 > 0:03:57once opened, you should consume within two days,
0:03:57 > 0:03:59two weeks or whatever.
0:04:01 > 0:04:04Debbie and Tony Styles have always wondered about that advice
0:04:04 > 0:04:07and they're not entirely sure they believe it.
0:04:08 > 0:04:10Use within two days. Really?
0:04:10 > 0:04:14You mean, after 48 hours, they self-destruct?
0:04:14 > 0:04:18You do feel as though you are wasting money. That's the issue.
0:04:18 > 0:04:22Because you end up throwing away half a jar of something
0:04:22 > 0:04:24because you've not been able to use it in time.
0:04:24 > 0:04:28And you can't trust yourself to go over that time limit.
0:04:28 > 0:04:31Fed up with throwing away half-eaten jars and bottles
0:04:31 > 0:04:35the two of them weren't able to use within the time stipulated,
0:04:35 > 0:04:39Debbie and Tony contacted us here at Rip-Off Britain.
0:04:39 > 0:04:41They wanted to know if they're doing the right thing
0:04:41 > 0:04:44and getting rid of food that's potentially harmful
0:04:44 > 0:04:47or whether they're simply falling for a ploy by manufacturers
0:04:47 > 0:04:50to make us replenish our cupboards sooner.
0:04:52 > 0:04:55For instance, we've got English mustard and American mustard,
0:04:55 > 0:04:57and the American makes no mention of a "use within"
0:04:57 > 0:05:01and the English mustard says, "Use within six weeks."
0:05:01 > 0:05:03And I never use it within six weeks
0:05:03 > 0:05:05and I probably refuse to use it within six weeks, frankly,
0:05:05 > 0:05:09cos I'm convinced it's fine for much, much longer.
0:05:09 > 0:05:12We're just thoroughly confused about what we can believe,
0:05:12 > 0:05:13or should believe.
0:05:13 > 0:05:16To help Debbie and Tony find the answer,
0:05:16 > 0:05:19we've called in food hygiene expert Dr Lisa Ackerley
0:05:19 > 0:05:23and she believes the advice is there for a good reason.
0:05:23 > 0:05:25Once you open a packet,
0:05:25 > 0:05:28the original atmosphere in which they were packed has been changed,
0:05:28 > 0:05:29so everything changes,
0:05:29 > 0:05:33and that includes the length of time that you can keep the food.
0:05:33 > 0:05:35And that's why you get instructions on the packet
0:05:35 > 0:05:38to tell you how long you're allowed to keep the food
0:05:38 > 0:05:40after you've opened the packet.
0:05:41 > 0:05:43Lisa can't wait to have a good old rummage
0:05:43 > 0:05:45around Debbie and Tony's kitchen.
0:05:45 > 0:05:47- Let's have a look in your fridge.- OK.
0:05:49 > 0:05:51Wow, you've got quite a lot in there, haven't you?
0:05:51 > 0:05:53Yes, we like our food.
0:05:53 > 0:05:56On our series last year, we revealed that some dried foods,
0:05:56 > 0:05:59like herbs, and of course tinned goods,
0:05:59 > 0:06:02can last for years or even decades.
0:06:02 > 0:06:05If I did find anything that was out of date, I would check it.
0:06:05 > 0:06:08I would use my smell, my taste, my common sense.
0:06:08 > 0:06:11But it's a very different story when it comes to some of the other things
0:06:11 > 0:06:14we might have lurking in our cupboards or fridge.
0:06:14 > 0:06:18So, as Lisa hunts for the things we typically hold on to for too long,
0:06:18 > 0:06:20she's looking not for things you can keep for yonks
0:06:20 > 0:06:24or for obviously perishable foods with a clear best before date.
0:06:24 > 0:06:28She's after those rather more ambiguous jars and products
0:06:28 > 0:06:30that carry that recommendation
0:06:30 > 0:06:33to eat within a certain number of days after opening.
0:06:33 > 0:06:36She quickly spots two that fall somewhere in between.
0:06:36 > 0:06:38They've got a short life,
0:06:38 > 0:06:40but for a couple like Debbie and Tony,
0:06:40 > 0:06:43they're not easy to finish off in one go.
0:06:43 > 0:06:46This is a pot of hummus and this is two days -
0:06:46 > 0:06:48use within two days of opening.
0:06:48 > 0:06:50And the same for this egg mayonnaise, so...
0:06:50 > 0:06:52Is that because that's an egg product?
0:06:52 > 0:06:53That's why it's only two days?
0:06:53 > 0:06:56Well, it's egg and it's mayonnaise, so, basically,
0:06:56 > 0:06:58- lots of nutrients for bacteria to grow.- Yeah.
0:06:58 > 0:07:00You don't know what you're introducing
0:07:00 > 0:07:01when you put a spoon in here.
0:07:01 > 0:07:04- Even though you think your hands are clean and...- Exactly.
0:07:04 > 0:07:07- We dip a breadstick in it.- Yeah. - Bite it, dip it back in again.- Yeah.
0:07:07 > 0:07:11But your bacteria in your mouths or on your hands
0:07:11 > 0:07:14are quite friendly on your hands, but if they get into food,
0:07:14 > 0:07:17they can actually produce toxins, which could make you ill,
0:07:17 > 0:07:20- even if they were your bacteria in the first place.- Yeah.- Yeah.
0:07:20 > 0:07:21But Tony's biggest bugbear
0:07:21 > 0:07:25and the things he finds most painful to throw away unfinished
0:07:25 > 0:07:29are his condiments - mustard, tartare sauce and horseradish.
0:07:29 > 0:07:31All those things that, like him,
0:07:31 > 0:07:34you may find hard to use up in the time that's recommended.
0:07:34 > 0:07:36We've got some horseradish here,
0:07:36 > 0:07:40which is use within 30 days of opening.
0:07:40 > 0:07:42- It's a bit old. - It is now out of date.- Yeah, yeah.
0:07:42 > 0:07:45- And there's still, what, half of it left?- It's a shame, isn't it?
0:07:45 > 0:07:48- Yeah.- Half? Yeah, more than. - But it looks all right.
0:07:48 > 0:07:50- It looks all right, but you don't know for sure, do you?- No.- No.
0:07:50 > 0:07:53Don't know what might be going on in there.
0:07:53 > 0:07:56And it probably hasn't got sufficient preservative in it
0:07:56 > 0:07:57to keep it any longer.
0:07:57 > 0:08:00What we've got is classic things such as mayonnaise here.
0:08:00 > 0:08:03We've got some sauce. We've got mustard.
0:08:03 > 0:08:05So, this group of foods has got...
0:08:05 > 0:08:07They've got natural preservatives in them,
0:08:07 > 0:08:10which gives a little bit longer shelf life in the fridge,
0:08:10 > 0:08:12but nothing seems to last forever
0:08:12 > 0:08:15because eventually, they will deteriorate.
0:08:15 > 0:08:17As soon as you've opened that,
0:08:17 > 0:08:19then you go into the sort of safety angle
0:08:19 > 0:08:22and we need to make sure that you don't keep the food for too long.
0:08:24 > 0:08:25However reluctantly,
0:08:25 > 0:08:28Debbie and Tony do follow the label's advice
0:08:28 > 0:08:31and end up throwing away a lot of food as a result.
0:08:31 > 0:08:33But when Lisa canvasses opinion
0:08:33 > 0:08:35from some of their fellow Peterborough residents,
0:08:35 > 0:08:38it's clear that many have a very different approach.
0:08:38 > 0:08:40I've got some pesto here.
0:08:40 > 0:08:42Could you tell me how long you might leave that in the fridge
0:08:42 > 0:08:44once you've opened the lid?
0:08:44 > 0:08:47Um, until I literally need the space that it's in.
0:08:47 > 0:08:49How long would I keep it for?
0:08:49 > 0:08:50There's probably some sitting in there
0:08:50 > 0:08:52that's six months old or something.
0:08:52 > 0:08:55OK, well, it's actually two weeks.
0:08:55 > 0:08:57- I'm not coming round your house. - THEY LAUGH
0:08:57 > 0:08:59Do you know that, on the label,
0:08:59 > 0:09:01it actually gives you some instructions
0:09:01 > 0:09:03about how long you should keep them for?
0:09:03 > 0:09:06- Yeah, I'm well aware of that. - Does that not worry you?
0:09:06 > 0:09:08It should, but, no, I'm quite lazy.
0:09:08 > 0:09:11So, we've got some dip here. What do you think about that?
0:09:11 > 0:09:13How long do you think that should be kept
0:09:13 > 0:09:16once the lid's come off it in the fridge?
0:09:16 > 0:09:18I'd say a week.
0:09:18 > 0:09:20I'd generally chuck it if there was a little bit left in the bottom
0:09:20 > 0:09:22cos also, people are, like, dipping in
0:09:22 > 0:09:24and I'm a bit funny about that as well.
0:09:24 > 0:09:27So, it's about three days for this once it's been opened.
0:09:27 > 0:09:30It would probably arrive, if someone brought it for a party,
0:09:30 > 0:09:33and next time I was looking for it for a party, I'd see if it was OK.
0:09:33 > 0:09:36THEY LAUGH
0:09:36 > 0:09:39No-one's coming to my house to eat ever again.
0:09:40 > 0:09:42Well, luckily, it can be quite simple
0:09:42 > 0:09:44to spot when many foods are past their best,
0:09:44 > 0:09:47and back at Debbie and Tony's, Lisa's brought with her
0:09:47 > 0:09:50some items that will test the couple's instincts
0:09:50 > 0:09:52when it comes to what's safe and what's not.
0:09:54 > 0:09:57OK, so, we've got tomato paste, which is a bit of a kitchen staple.
0:09:57 > 0:10:00- I should think every home's got one of these.- Mm-hm.
0:10:00 > 0:10:03But it's not going to last forever because look what happens,
0:10:03 > 0:10:05typically, when you're using these packs,
0:10:05 > 0:10:08- is that they actually break... - The air's getting in.
0:10:08 > 0:10:09..and the air's getting in
0:10:09 > 0:10:12and then your contamination will be getting in as well.
0:10:12 > 0:10:13So, they don't last forever.
0:10:13 > 0:10:17About three weeks, as it says on the pack.
0:10:18 > 0:10:21But sometimes, just looking at the packet shows
0:10:21 > 0:10:23when something's on the turn.
0:10:23 > 0:10:27So, Lisa, this juice is four days, I think. It is.
0:10:27 > 0:10:30- "Use within four days." - Yeah. Actually, just wait a minute.
0:10:30 > 0:10:32Can you feel anything about that juice that's a bit odd?
0:10:32 > 0:10:36Oh, yes, sometimes, the packaging can feel
0:10:36 > 0:10:39as though it's blowing up with excess air or gas in it.
0:10:39 > 0:10:41Something's going on inside the pack.
0:10:41 > 0:10:43That could be something like yeast, possibly,
0:10:43 > 0:10:46that are still there that have started to ferment,
0:10:46 > 0:10:49so you'll actually get it going slightly fizzy.
0:10:49 > 0:10:52So, when something starts to go a bit bulging,
0:10:52 > 0:10:54then that's time to definitely throw it away,
0:10:54 > 0:10:56even if it's within the four days of opening.
0:10:56 > 0:10:59How cool your fridge is can make a big difference
0:10:59 > 0:11:01to how long your food will last.
0:11:01 > 0:11:03To keep it fresher for longer,
0:11:03 > 0:11:07your appliance should be kept at 5 degrees Celsius or lower,
0:11:07 > 0:11:09but things like over-frozen ice boxes
0:11:09 > 0:11:13and dodgy seals can often mean temperatures fluctuate,
0:11:13 > 0:11:16so Lisa wants to see if Debbie and Tony have got it right.
0:11:16 > 0:11:19I'll just take the temperature of things in your fridge
0:11:19 > 0:11:22because if the fridge is warmer, then bacteria can grow quicker.
0:11:25 > 0:11:28So, we've got around 9 and 11.
0:11:28 > 0:11:31We're getting colder. 7.
0:11:31 > 0:11:35And 7.6.
0:11:35 > 0:11:37- 5 at the bottom. - Fridge is working efficiently.
0:11:37 > 0:11:40So, it's quite normal for the fridge to be colder at the bottom
0:11:40 > 0:11:41cos warm air rises.
0:11:41 > 0:11:45Right, so, some of the readings are quite high on the upper shelves
0:11:45 > 0:11:47and the reason I'm looking at that is the manufacturers
0:11:47 > 0:11:50have actually got to give people a bit of leeway with their dates
0:11:50 > 0:11:53- because some people will have warmer fridges than others.- Right.
0:11:54 > 0:11:57But Lisa says we shouldn't rely on that leeway
0:11:57 > 0:11:59because there's no way of knowing
0:11:59 > 0:12:02if a manufacturer has included any extra time.
0:12:02 > 0:12:05For Debbie and Tony, what makes all this especially confusing
0:12:05 > 0:12:07is the varying recommendations
0:12:07 > 0:12:12for how long different foods should last once they've been opened.
0:12:12 > 0:12:14Their favourite - horseradish -
0:12:14 > 0:12:17apparently needs to be used within a month of opening,
0:12:17 > 0:12:19but tomato puree lasts for three weeks,
0:12:19 > 0:12:22and this pesto, just two weeks.
0:12:22 > 0:12:26The manufacturer will have thought about what ingredients are in here,
0:12:26 > 0:12:28what preservative effect they have,
0:12:28 > 0:12:30and consideration of the fridge temperature
0:12:30 > 0:12:32and what you might be introducing,
0:12:32 > 0:12:36so 14 days is actually quite a long time for something like this.
0:12:36 > 0:12:38Now, what you'll actually see in here...
0:12:38 > 0:12:42- What can you see in there? - It looks like some separation.
0:12:42 > 0:12:44- Can you see some little white bits in there?- Oh, yeah.
0:12:44 > 0:12:47- Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. - Let's have a sniff.
0:12:47 > 0:12:49- Oh, boy! - SHE LAUGHS
0:12:49 > 0:12:50Thank you.
0:12:50 > 0:12:53I mean, that's obviously the worst thing that can happen later on.
0:12:53 > 0:12:56The longer you leave it, the more furry it's going to go.
0:12:56 > 0:12:58- And obviously, nobody would eat that.- Enough.
0:12:58 > 0:13:00- There you go, madam.- Thank you.
0:13:00 > 0:13:04Debbie and Tony's pesto would have lasted a good deal longer
0:13:04 > 0:13:06if they'd put it into ice cube trays
0:13:06 > 0:13:08and frozen it before it got to that stage.
0:13:08 > 0:13:12But Lisa's visit has reassured them that the advice on the labels
0:13:12 > 0:13:15isn't there simply to encourage more sales.
0:13:15 > 0:13:18So, how do you feel that you might have to throw away
0:13:18 > 0:13:19all of this at some point?
0:13:19 > 0:13:23I know it still looks a lot and it's still an expense,
0:13:23 > 0:13:26but I'm thinking about my health, my future health,
0:13:26 > 0:13:31so I'll continue to abide by the rules on the jars.
0:13:31 > 0:13:33- Right. That's great. - And I'm a lot less cynical, frankly,
0:13:33 > 0:13:36- than I was before we spoke. - Oh, OK. Right.
0:13:36 > 0:13:40Because part of me was concerned that they were overstating
0:13:40 > 0:13:44the importance of two days or four days or whatever,
0:13:44 > 0:13:49but you've rammed it home that they're to be listened to.
0:13:49 > 0:13:51But, like most of us, they hate to add
0:13:51 > 0:13:56to the 7 million tonnes of food going to waste in the UK every year.
0:13:56 > 0:14:00So, before we all start chucking out half the food in our fridges,
0:14:00 > 0:14:02we couldn't resist finding out what happens
0:14:02 > 0:14:06if you don't stick to the advice on how long some foods can be kept.
0:14:06 > 0:14:08We've been to a lab.
0:14:08 > 0:14:13We're going to test five foods and take samples every day for a week.
0:14:13 > 0:14:16And we'll reveal the results of our experiment
0:14:16 > 0:14:17later in the programme.
0:14:21 > 0:14:25It's been more than 20 years now since refrigerated soups,
0:14:25 > 0:14:27marketed as fresh,
0:14:27 > 0:14:29first appeared on our supermarket shelves.
0:14:29 > 0:14:33They were offering an enticing alternative to canned soup
0:14:33 > 0:14:35and they seemed to be the next best thing
0:14:35 > 0:14:37to actually whipping it up yourself from scratch.
0:14:37 > 0:14:40But are you really getting something extra for your money?
0:14:40 > 0:14:42Because they're kept in the fridge,
0:14:42 > 0:14:47you might assume that these fresher soups are more nutritious,
0:14:47 > 0:14:49but could it be that the less glamorous,
0:14:49 > 0:14:51and far cheaper, tinned varieties
0:14:51 > 0:14:53really aren't that different after all?
0:14:58 > 0:15:00Quick, easy and delicious -
0:15:00 > 0:15:05soup has been a warming, nourishing staple for thousands of years.
0:15:05 > 0:15:07And while it's the canned varieties
0:15:07 > 0:15:10that still dominate sales of the ready-made kind,
0:15:10 > 0:15:13over the last few decades, they've been increasingly challenged
0:15:13 > 0:15:18by the arrival of rivals in cartons and pots
0:15:18 > 0:15:21that you'd store not on shelves or in cupboards but in the fridge.
0:15:23 > 0:15:26Brands of fresh, chilled soup and tinned soup
0:15:26 > 0:15:30are fighting it out these days for domination of our soup bowls.
0:15:30 > 0:15:32It's a market that's worth
0:15:32 > 0:15:36a whopping £610 million a year.
0:15:36 > 0:15:40But when the fresh, chilled variety can cost almost twice as much
0:15:40 > 0:15:42as an equivalent tinned soup,
0:15:42 > 0:15:44then what really are the extra benefits
0:15:44 > 0:15:46of those extra pennies?
0:15:47 > 0:15:51Well, whether your preference is for a soup sold fresh in a carton
0:15:51 > 0:15:52with the sell by date
0:15:52 > 0:15:55or in a tin that can last years before it goes off,
0:15:55 > 0:15:57judging by the shoppers we spoke to,
0:15:57 > 0:16:01soup is as much on the menu in our homes as ever.
0:16:01 > 0:16:03I would go for tinned soup rather than the other
0:16:03 > 0:16:06just because that, in the past, is what I've had
0:16:06 > 0:16:07and know it to be good.
0:16:07 > 0:16:12I don't buy tinned soup, but I don't mind carton soup
0:16:12 > 0:16:15because generally, that's more like home-made soup.
0:16:15 > 0:16:17I like the cartons better.
0:16:17 > 0:16:20I don't like tinned soup. It's got a real strange taste to it.
0:16:20 > 0:16:22And, of course, we did also meet shoppers
0:16:22 > 0:16:25who'd go for the altogether more traditional method.
0:16:25 > 0:16:27Well, to be honest, I make my own.
0:16:27 > 0:16:29I just bought some fresh vegetables now
0:16:29 > 0:16:30and I have a soup maker at home.
0:16:30 > 0:16:32I make my soup.
0:16:32 > 0:16:36I don't ever buy tins or cartons of soup.
0:16:36 > 0:16:37They're rubbish.
0:16:37 > 0:16:42But there's no doubt that the growth of soups that appear fresher
0:16:42 > 0:16:45and, in some cases, more imaginatively flavoured,
0:16:45 > 0:16:47has transformed the industry.
0:16:47 > 0:16:50Tinned soups have had to raise their game,
0:16:50 > 0:16:54although, of course, they still have one major advantage - price.
0:16:54 > 0:16:57Take this tin of Baxters carrot and coriander.
0:16:57 > 0:17:01On the day we checked, it was selling for as little as £1.09.
0:17:01 > 0:17:04But the closest equivalent in a carton,
0:17:04 > 0:17:07this New Covent Garden carrot and coriander soup,
0:17:07 > 0:17:10can cost almost twice as much when sold at full price.
0:17:10 > 0:17:11It is a little bigger,
0:17:11 > 0:17:15but after comparing the all-important price per gram,
0:17:15 > 0:17:18the soup in the carton cost an extra 20%.
0:17:18 > 0:17:21However, dietician Linia Patel says
0:17:21 > 0:17:24paying more doesn't necessarily mean it's healthier.
0:17:24 > 0:17:26There's this perception that
0:17:26 > 0:17:28if you're going to be paying for something,
0:17:28 > 0:17:30you're going to be paying more for something,
0:17:30 > 0:17:31it'll be better for you,
0:17:31 > 0:17:33but that's not necessarily always the case.
0:17:33 > 0:17:35It's about making sure that when you are going out
0:17:35 > 0:17:37and buying two different soups,
0:17:37 > 0:17:39that you're also not just comparing the price
0:17:39 > 0:17:42and assuming that the more expensive one will be better for you.
0:17:42 > 0:17:44But you're actually comparing the different products
0:17:44 > 0:17:47in terms of how much fibre it's got, how much protein it's got,
0:17:47 > 0:17:49how much salt and sugar it's got as well.
0:17:51 > 0:17:52Linia's taken a closer look
0:17:52 > 0:17:55at how these two carrot and coriander soups
0:17:55 > 0:17:57stack up nutritionally.
0:17:57 > 0:17:59And, in fact, they're remarkably similar.
0:17:59 > 0:18:01The tinned soup comes out at pretty much the same
0:18:01 > 0:18:05on fat content, protein and calories.
0:18:05 > 0:18:08And the same is true for these tomato and lentil soups.
0:18:08 > 0:18:13Again, we've one in a tin and another in a carton.
0:18:13 > 0:18:16Price-wise, this fresh Glorious SkinnyLicious Soup
0:18:16 > 0:18:21again cost around 20% more than the closest comparable Baxters tin.
0:18:21 > 0:18:23But they've a similar number of calories
0:18:23 > 0:18:26and roughly the same protein and salt content.
0:18:26 > 0:18:29Interestingly, though, while the tinned version
0:18:29 > 0:18:31has a little less fat,
0:18:31 > 0:18:34it also contains three times as much fibre
0:18:34 > 0:18:35as the fresh carton soup.
0:18:37 > 0:18:39And while there are some tinned soups on the market
0:18:39 > 0:18:42that have been criticised for their high salt content,
0:18:42 > 0:18:44if you've turned your back on the canned varieties
0:18:44 > 0:18:48because you thought paying extra would buy you a healthier product,
0:18:48 > 0:18:50that's not always the case.
0:18:52 > 0:18:53Now, we're not saying, though,
0:18:53 > 0:18:56that the fresh, chilled soups are not nutritious, are we?
0:18:56 > 0:18:57Oh, no, we're not saying that.
0:18:57 > 0:19:00What you need to do is make sure you know what's going into your soup,
0:19:00 > 0:19:03so you need to turn the packet of your fresh soup round,
0:19:03 > 0:19:05make sure you're looking at the ingredients and labels
0:19:05 > 0:19:07so that you're choosing a soup that, you know,
0:19:07 > 0:19:10has lower amounts of sugar in it, has less salt in it
0:19:10 > 0:19:12and also has, you know, more vegetables,
0:19:12 > 0:19:15so you're getting more fibre too, which helps you feel full.
0:19:15 > 0:19:18If you're watching your waistline, that's what you want to do.
0:19:18 > 0:19:20And, of course, a bonus with tinned soup
0:19:20 > 0:19:23is that it can last in your cupboard for years.
0:19:23 > 0:19:26That's one of the advantages of the tinned soup, isn't it?
0:19:26 > 0:19:28It doesn't have a use by date
0:19:28 > 0:19:31that's anything like as short as the fresh variety.
0:19:31 > 0:19:34Exactly, so you can have it stashed away in the cupboard
0:19:34 > 0:19:37or on your desk at work and, actually, when you're cut for time
0:19:37 > 0:19:39or looking for something quick and easy and nutritious,
0:19:39 > 0:19:42you can just get your tinned soup and throw it in the microwave,
0:19:42 > 0:19:45put it on the stove and there you have a nice, warm meal.
0:19:45 > 0:19:49But if there's not much to choose from between them nutritionally,
0:19:49 > 0:19:52how do the soups compare when it comes to taste
0:19:52 > 0:19:55and how likely is it that you could even tell which is which?
0:19:59 > 0:20:03To get a sense of that, we've set up our own soup stall at Bolton Market
0:20:03 > 0:20:05and we're giving out samples
0:20:05 > 0:20:08of those two carrot and coriander soups.
0:20:08 > 0:20:11In one urn, we have the tinned version, soup A,
0:20:11 > 0:20:14and in the other, soup B comes from a fresh carton.
0:20:14 > 0:20:18They look almost identical, so let's see which
0:20:18 > 0:20:20passing shoppers prefer.
0:20:21 > 0:20:24I haven't have my lunch yet, so I might be here awhile.
0:20:27 > 0:20:29I prefer soup A.
0:20:29 > 0:20:33It was slightly thinner than the other one.
0:20:33 > 0:20:35There's a big difference here, I think.
0:20:35 > 0:20:38I think I prefer soup B, I think.
0:20:38 > 0:20:41Oh, yes. That's more to my liking.
0:20:41 > 0:20:44Yeah, I could buy that.
0:20:44 > 0:20:46I like soup A.
0:20:46 > 0:20:49That's bob on, that one. That's a nicer one.
0:20:51 > 0:20:53So, the results were a close call.
0:20:53 > 0:20:55Of the 11 people we stopped
0:20:55 > 0:20:57and asked, six championed the fresh soup
0:20:57 > 0:21:00and five said they preferred the tinned.
0:21:00 > 0:21:04Next in our admittedly highly subjective blind taste test,
0:21:04 > 0:21:07we asked them that all-important question -
0:21:07 > 0:21:09could they tell which soup was out of the carton
0:21:09 > 0:21:11and which came from a can?
0:21:11 > 0:21:15I would say B is the chilled section one.
0:21:16 > 0:21:17Probably, yeah.
0:21:17 > 0:21:20Like, you can actually see the carrot -
0:21:20 > 0:21:25pieces of carrot - in it, whereas the other one is just...
0:21:27 > 0:21:29..sort of like liquidy.
0:21:29 > 0:21:31I will go with soup B, I think, for fresh.
0:21:32 > 0:21:35Erm, but if B is fresh
0:21:35 > 0:21:37and soup A is tinned,
0:21:37 > 0:21:40there's not a great deal of difference, so...
0:21:40 > 0:21:43- What's for pudding? - HE LAUGHS
0:21:45 > 0:21:47It may not always have been their preferred choice,
0:21:47 > 0:21:51but the majority of those shoppers - eight out of ten -
0:21:51 > 0:21:54did correctly guess which soup was which.
0:21:54 > 0:21:56And once they were armed with that information,
0:21:56 > 0:21:58would they be prepared to pay more
0:21:58 > 0:22:00for the tinned soup A
0:22:00 > 0:22:02or the carton soup B?
0:22:02 > 0:22:06Yes, I'd pay more for A than B. Yeah.
0:22:06 > 0:22:08I would be prepared to pay more
0:22:08 > 0:22:10- for A than B.- If it's home-made.
0:22:10 > 0:22:14If it's good, you'd pay more. Definitely.
0:22:14 > 0:22:16And though it was a close-run thing,
0:22:16 > 0:22:20four out of seven said they would pay more for the carton.
0:22:20 > 0:22:22But while there's not much in it
0:22:22 > 0:22:25either nutritionally or, perhaps, even taste-wise...
0:22:25 > 0:22:27Delicious.
0:22:28 > 0:22:30..when we contacted the manufacturers
0:22:30 > 0:22:31of those pricier soups,
0:22:31 > 0:22:34they were keen to stress why they stand out.
0:22:34 > 0:22:36New Covent Garden Soup Company,
0:22:36 > 0:22:40which makes the fresh carrot and coriander soup we compared,
0:22:40 > 0:22:43told us that fresh soup has a different taste profile
0:22:43 > 0:22:45because it's been cooked for a shorter time
0:22:45 > 0:22:48and at a lower temperature than tinned soup.
0:22:48 > 0:22:51And the company pointed out that the nutritional value
0:22:51 > 0:22:53of all soups will vary by recipe,
0:22:53 > 0:22:57rather than simply depending on whether they're tinned or fresh.
0:22:57 > 0:22:59It said it offers a variety of ranges
0:22:59 > 0:23:02to suit varying consumer health needs,
0:23:02 > 0:23:05from skinny soups to those high in protein and fibre.
0:23:06 > 0:23:10Glorious, the makers of this fresh tomato and lentil soup,
0:23:10 > 0:23:11had a similar message,
0:23:11 > 0:23:13telling us that it, too, offers a range
0:23:13 > 0:23:16that takes in soups low in fat and calories,
0:23:16 > 0:23:18high in protein and fibre
0:23:18 > 0:23:21or suitable for vegetarians and vegans.
0:23:21 > 0:23:24And it said all its nutritional information
0:23:24 > 0:23:26is available on its website.
0:23:28 > 0:23:32'Of course, putting any shop-bought soups aside,
0:23:32 > 0:23:34'the best way to ensure that you get one that's cheap
0:23:34 > 0:23:37'and nutritious is still to make it yourself.'
0:23:37 > 0:23:40So, what are the ingredients that we've got here, Linia?
0:23:40 > 0:23:42Well, we've got a lot of vegetables.
0:23:42 > 0:23:45So, we've got your onions, we've got some, you know, celery
0:23:45 > 0:23:47and some carrots.
0:23:47 > 0:23:48In under an hour,
0:23:48 > 0:23:50Linia and I rustled up two lots of soup,
0:23:50 > 0:23:53adding in good-quality stock and some chicken.
0:23:53 > 0:23:55Mm! Not bad.
0:23:55 > 0:23:57- They're so tasty. - SHE LAUGHS
0:23:57 > 0:23:59- Now, we've made these ourselves. - Yeah.
0:23:59 > 0:24:03How much do you reckon it's cost for these two portions of soup,
0:24:03 > 0:24:07compared with, say, the ones that we bought in the carton and the can?
0:24:07 > 0:24:11Um, so, it works out that, actually, they're going to be cheaper
0:24:11 > 0:24:14than the ones that we bought in the carton,
0:24:14 > 0:24:17but maybe slightly more expensive than the ones in the tin.
0:24:17 > 0:24:19But in terms of nutritional benefits,
0:24:19 > 0:24:21I mean, that's just incomparable.
0:24:21 > 0:24:24So, what we've got here is fresh ingredients and a complete meal.
0:24:24 > 0:24:28'So, if you've been seduced into thinking a costlier soup
0:24:28 > 0:24:31'in more attractive packaging gives any greater benefit
0:24:31 > 0:24:34'than the cheaper, tinned varieties, think again.
0:24:34 > 0:24:38'But my first choice still remains a soup that's home-made.'
0:24:38 > 0:24:41Lovely flavour to this. We should go into business, darling.
0:24:41 > 0:24:44- SHE LAUGHS - I definitely think we should.
0:24:49 > 0:24:51Still to come on Rip-Off Britain,
0:24:51 > 0:24:53busting the surprisingly common myths
0:24:53 > 0:24:56still cooked up for the microwave oven.
0:24:56 > 0:24:58I definitely think that some waves come out of it
0:24:58 > 0:25:00that could be bad for you,
0:25:00 > 0:25:02and I definitely wouldn't have any of my children
0:25:02 > 0:25:04near the microwave when it was on.
0:25:07 > 0:25:09Earlier in the programme, we looked at just how strictly
0:25:09 > 0:25:12we should follow the advice on jars and packages
0:25:12 > 0:25:14that says, once they've been opened,
0:25:14 > 0:25:16you should consume within four weeks, say.
0:25:16 > 0:25:19But have they actually passed the point of no return?
0:25:19 > 0:25:21How quickly does the food in our cupboard
0:25:21 > 0:25:24really become inedible and unsafe to eat?
0:25:24 > 0:25:26We've done some tests to find out.
0:25:28 > 0:25:31As we've seen, it's not just sell by or use by dates
0:25:31 > 0:25:34that show the time by which foods should be eaten.
0:25:34 > 0:25:36Some products carry a warning that, after opening,
0:25:36 > 0:25:39they should be consumed within a certain number of days -
0:25:39 > 0:25:43things like cream cheese, fruit juices or jars of pickles.
0:25:43 > 0:25:46Well, we wanted to understand the risk
0:25:46 > 0:25:48if you don't instantly follow that advice
0:25:48 > 0:25:51and whether, rather than simply erring on the side of caution
0:25:51 > 0:25:53and throwing half-eaten food away,
0:25:53 > 0:25:56you could still happily tuck in for a few more days.
0:25:56 > 0:26:01So, we asked microbiologist Dr Margarita Gomez Escalada
0:26:01 > 0:26:02to do some tests.
0:26:03 > 0:26:06So, we have some orange juice,
0:26:06 > 0:26:10some coleslaw salad, hummus,
0:26:10 > 0:26:14soft cheese and sour cream and chive dip.
0:26:15 > 0:26:18So, what we'll do is we'll take samples
0:26:18 > 0:26:20for all the rest of the products
0:26:20 > 0:26:22and then we'll put all of them in the fridge
0:26:22 > 0:26:25and take samples every day for a week.
0:26:25 > 0:26:28It says on the packaging that this hummus,
0:26:28 > 0:26:32coleslaw and sour cream should all be eaten within two days of opening,
0:26:32 > 0:26:35the orange juice must be drunk within four days
0:26:35 > 0:26:38and the cream cheese should be used within five days.
0:26:38 > 0:26:40But what happens if they're not?
0:26:41 > 0:26:45Margarita will take daily swabs to test the level of bacteria -
0:26:45 > 0:26:48an important measure of how safe the food is to eat.
0:26:48 > 0:26:51What we're going to be testing for in these foods
0:26:51 > 0:26:53are three things, really.
0:26:53 > 0:26:55We're going to be looking for Total Viable Counts,
0:26:55 > 0:26:57which are just a general count
0:26:57 > 0:27:00of all the bacterial content in the food.
0:27:00 > 0:27:02We're then going to look for faecal coliforms,
0:27:02 > 0:27:05which are bacteria that come from the gut,
0:27:05 > 0:27:08which are those most likely to cause infection.
0:27:08 > 0:27:11And then we're going to specifically look for salmonella.
0:27:11 > 0:27:13If there were any traces of salmonella
0:27:13 > 0:27:17or so-called faecal coliforms like E. coli or listeria,
0:27:17 > 0:27:19then the food would be dangerous.
0:27:19 > 0:27:22And while, reassuringly, none of our tests turned up
0:27:22 > 0:27:26any such bacteria, those aren't the only things to look out for.
0:27:26 > 0:27:29Food also contains other types of everyday bacteria
0:27:29 > 0:27:31which are safe to eat,
0:27:31 > 0:27:33provided they're below a certain level.
0:27:33 > 0:27:37The Health Protection Agency says food will become unsafe to eat
0:27:37 > 0:27:41if there are over 1 million bacteria per gram of food.
0:27:41 > 0:27:43So, in our daily testing, we were checking
0:27:43 > 0:27:46if the number of these bacteria went over 1 million
0:27:46 > 0:27:49and might therefore make you ill.
0:27:49 > 0:27:54So, the hummus we tested was set to be used within two days of opening.
0:27:54 > 0:27:59As we opened it, we found that it had 300 bacteria per gram of food
0:27:59 > 0:28:01and after seven days,
0:28:01 > 0:28:05we found it had 330 bacteria per gram.
0:28:05 > 0:28:07From a microbiological point of view,
0:28:07 > 0:28:10the hummus, after seven days of opening,
0:28:10 > 0:28:11would be safe to eat.
0:28:11 > 0:28:13With bacteria levels so low
0:28:13 > 0:28:16five days after it's recommended you should throw it away,
0:28:16 > 0:28:19it's a cautious thumbs up for our hummus.
0:28:19 > 0:28:21Next is the coleslaw.
0:28:21 > 0:28:24So, this is the coleslaw that we tested
0:28:24 > 0:28:27and the manufacturers say that you should eat it,
0:28:27 > 0:28:28after opening, within two days.
0:28:28 > 0:28:31Bacteria levels naturally go up and down,
0:28:31 > 0:28:35and in the coleslaw, they peaked at 22,900 per gram,
0:28:35 > 0:28:38but that's still well below the dangerous 1 million bacteria mark.
0:28:38 > 0:28:42So, after seven days, it remains safe to eat.
0:28:42 > 0:28:45All these values are within the acceptable parameters
0:28:45 > 0:28:49of the Health Protection Agency guidelines.
0:28:49 > 0:28:52So far, we've found only very low levels of everyday bacteria
0:28:52 > 0:28:55suggesting that automatically chucking opened food away
0:28:55 > 0:28:57isn't always necessary.
0:28:57 > 0:28:59Will things change with this dip?
0:28:59 > 0:29:04Now, this is the results for the sour cream and chive dip
0:29:04 > 0:29:06and it says, again, that once opened,
0:29:06 > 0:29:08eat within two days.
0:29:08 > 0:29:11The values that we found on the day of opening,
0:29:11 > 0:29:17which was day one, was 1,780 bacteria per gram.
0:29:17 > 0:29:18After seven days,
0:29:18 > 0:29:21the levels of bacteria in the sour cream and chive dip
0:29:21 > 0:29:27haven't increased significantly to make the food unsafe to eat.
0:29:27 > 0:29:31Thumbs up for the dip, but what about the orange juice?
0:29:31 > 0:29:33So, this is the juice that we tested.
0:29:33 > 0:29:34This is fresh orange juice.
0:29:34 > 0:29:37The manufacturers say that it should be drunk
0:29:37 > 0:29:39within four days of opening.
0:29:39 > 0:29:42We tested it on day one
0:29:42 > 0:29:46and we found 40 bacteria per millilitre of juice,
0:29:46 > 0:29:48which is quite low.
0:29:48 > 0:29:52Perhaps surprisingly, the bacteria levels by day seven,
0:29:52 > 0:29:53which is three days after
0:29:53 > 0:29:55the manufacturers say you should drink it,
0:29:55 > 0:29:58were actually lower than at the start.
0:29:58 > 0:30:03The amount of bacteria in the juice was very low,
0:30:03 > 0:30:04but this is not surprising
0:30:04 > 0:30:09because, specifically, orange juice is very acidic
0:30:09 > 0:30:14and bacteria prefer a more neutral environment to live,
0:30:14 > 0:30:16so they wouldn't thrive very well in juice.
0:30:16 > 0:30:21I'd be happy to drink this juice after six days of opening.
0:30:21 > 0:30:24Orange may well be fine due to its high acidity,
0:30:24 > 0:30:27but other fruit drinks, which are sweeter,
0:30:27 > 0:30:30can have much higher bacteria and shouldn't be left as long.
0:30:30 > 0:30:33Now, a telltale sign that foods are going off
0:30:33 > 0:30:35several days after they've been opened
0:30:35 > 0:30:37is if they grow fungus.
0:30:37 > 0:30:40So, if that's the case and there's fungus growing on top,
0:30:40 > 0:30:43can it just be scraped off and the food below eaten?
0:30:43 > 0:30:47They are not as dangerous a bacteria, but they will make...
0:30:47 > 0:30:49They shouldn't be eaten
0:30:49 > 0:30:52and they will make the food not taste very nice.
0:30:52 > 0:30:55So, four out of our five foods have proved OK to eat
0:30:55 > 0:30:59several days beyond the point that's supposed to be the cut-off,
0:30:59 > 0:31:01but what about our cream cheese?
0:31:01 > 0:31:04The manufacturers say that you should eat this
0:31:04 > 0:31:07within five days of opening.
0:31:07 > 0:31:10We tested it on day one, on the day of opening,
0:31:10 > 0:31:14and we found that it had 80 bacteria per gram of cheese.
0:31:14 > 0:31:18Then we also tested it at seven days.
0:31:18 > 0:31:21This is two days after the manufacturers say
0:31:21 > 0:31:23that it's not usable any more.
0:31:23 > 0:31:27However, we found only 10 bacteria per gram of cheese.
0:31:27 > 0:31:30It's very, very low indeed.
0:31:30 > 0:31:33It's not actually surprising that it is so low.
0:31:33 > 0:31:36Soft cheese doesn't have a lot of water.
0:31:36 > 0:31:38Bacteria need water to grow.
0:31:38 > 0:31:41Well, after several days, the sort of foods we tested
0:31:41 > 0:31:44probably won't look or taste as fresh
0:31:44 > 0:31:45as when they were first brought.
0:31:45 > 0:31:49Coleslaw can separate, for example, and hummus can turn hard.
0:31:49 > 0:31:53But when it comes to bacteria which makes food dangerous to eat,
0:31:53 > 0:31:56well, in our tests, they were all given a clean bill of health.
0:31:56 > 0:31:59Now, that doesn't mean you can safely keep eating them
0:31:59 > 0:32:00for much longer.
0:32:00 > 0:32:02Don't forget that in our test,
0:32:02 > 0:32:05no-one had dipped a half-eaten breadstick in the dips
0:32:05 > 0:32:09or taken a sip from the juice carton like they might at home,
0:32:09 > 0:32:12so the caution voiced by our expert earlier in the programme
0:32:12 > 0:32:14remains sound advice.
0:32:14 > 0:32:17But if you're the type who ends up chucking food away
0:32:17 > 0:32:18rather than risking eating it
0:32:18 > 0:32:21just a day or two beyond what the packaging suggests,
0:32:21 > 0:32:24like Debbie and Tony who we met earlier in the programme,
0:32:24 > 0:32:28well, our test does appear to show that may not always be necessary.
0:32:28 > 0:32:32I think people should use their common sense to look at food
0:32:32 > 0:32:35and make a judgment whether their food has gone off or not.
0:32:35 > 0:32:37If the food has gone off,
0:32:37 > 0:32:40it will smell different, it will taste different.
0:32:45 > 0:32:47Now, there can be so many stories in the papers
0:32:47 > 0:32:49about what's good or bad for us
0:32:49 > 0:32:52that it's sometimes very hard to know who or what to believe.
0:32:52 > 0:32:54But in this case, have we got it all wrong?
0:32:58 > 0:33:03In 1974, space-age technology arrived in British kitchens.
0:33:06 > 0:33:08A device that promised convenience
0:33:08 > 0:33:10and to revolutionise the way we cook.
0:33:12 > 0:33:13Just select the recipe you want,
0:33:13 > 0:33:16enter the weight and you can do the whole thing in minutes.
0:33:16 > 0:33:18Even an idiot can learn to defrost.
0:33:18 > 0:33:19And I have.
0:33:19 > 0:33:21But those promises came with a name
0:33:21 > 0:33:24that was more cold war than kitchen counter,
0:33:24 > 0:33:26and a hi-tech way of working
0:33:26 > 0:33:29that created a terrifying legend all of its own.
0:33:29 > 0:33:32In all the recent concern about food safety,
0:33:32 > 0:33:35a lot of attention has been focused on microwave ovens.
0:33:35 > 0:33:37Are they safe?
0:33:37 > 0:33:40In what must be one of the biggest urban fairy tales
0:33:40 > 0:33:43of the modern age, microwaves were rumoured to be dangerous
0:33:43 > 0:33:46for anyone from pregnant women to those with pacemakers.
0:33:46 > 0:33:49Look. Did you see that? It went right up to high.
0:33:49 > 0:33:51And these rumours persist today,
0:33:51 > 0:33:54decades after the humble microwave found its way
0:33:54 > 0:33:56into more than 90% of British homes.
0:33:58 > 0:33:59I don't terribly trust them.
0:33:59 > 0:34:01There's always that myth
0:34:01 > 0:34:03that you shouldn't stand next to the microwave while it's on.
0:34:03 > 0:34:06They used to be said to emit radiation.
0:34:06 > 0:34:07That might be complete tosh.
0:34:07 > 0:34:11I've heard you're better off not cooking with it,
0:34:11 > 0:34:14but it's easy to heat up a meal, so...
0:34:14 > 0:34:17We got rid of it cos all I did was store my potatoes in it.
0:34:17 > 0:34:19THEY LAUGH Seriously.
0:34:19 > 0:34:22I stored my potatoes in my microwave. I don't like them.
0:34:25 > 0:34:29Donna Harrison is a mum of three who uses her microwave
0:34:29 > 0:34:32to reheat her children's food every single day.
0:34:34 > 0:34:38I have absolutely no idea how a microwave cooks food.
0:34:38 > 0:34:42I just know it's done through some sort of heat waves
0:34:42 > 0:34:47and magically, it pings and food is hot and comes out.
0:34:48 > 0:34:51While Donna admits that she couldn't live without her microwave,
0:34:51 > 0:34:53she remains very deeply suspicious
0:34:53 > 0:34:55of how it works and even if it's safe.
0:34:57 > 0:34:59I wouldn't be standing this close to the microwave when it's on.
0:34:59 > 0:35:02You have no way of knowing whether the microwave is leaking or not.
0:35:02 > 0:35:04Ooh, yum, yum.
0:35:04 > 0:35:07I definitely think that something, sort of some waves come out
0:35:07 > 0:35:10and it could be bad for you in some way or form.
0:35:10 > 0:35:12And I definitely wouldn't have any of my children
0:35:12 > 0:35:14near the microwave when it was on.
0:35:16 > 0:35:18So, to help Donna find out
0:35:18 > 0:35:20if, in fact, her worries have got any basis,
0:35:20 > 0:35:22we've brought her to Oxford University
0:35:22 > 0:35:26to meet a leading expert in physics, Professor Tony Weidberg.
0:35:26 > 0:35:29If anyone knows whether that box of tricks in your kitchen is safe,
0:35:29 > 0:35:32it's him, and he's absolutely certain
0:35:32 > 0:35:34that Donna has nothing to worry about.
0:35:35 > 0:35:37We have a metal box.
0:35:37 > 0:35:40Metal is a very good absorber for microwaves,
0:35:40 > 0:35:44so the energy coming out can be kept at a negligible level.
0:35:44 > 0:35:46OK, I've brought some baby food with me.
0:35:46 > 0:35:47To prove his point,
0:35:47 > 0:35:50Tony has a device that tests for any radiation
0:35:50 > 0:35:53that just might be leaking from the microwave.
0:35:53 > 0:35:57So, let's start with the grid, see if there's anything coming up.
0:35:57 > 0:35:58Got tiny readings,
0:35:58 > 0:36:02but it's well below the five-milliwatt safety level.
0:36:02 > 0:36:04And I can look around the seal.
0:36:04 > 0:36:06If the seal was bad, I would see some leakage.
0:36:06 > 0:36:08The seal looks very good.
0:36:08 > 0:36:10What about the sides and the back area?
0:36:10 > 0:36:12Well, look at the side. The side is solid metal.
0:36:12 > 0:36:14I wouldn't expect anything to come out
0:36:14 > 0:36:16and I don't actually see...get any reading.
0:36:16 > 0:36:19The back is still getting a reading of 0.00,
0:36:19 > 0:36:22so this looks pretty good.
0:36:22 > 0:36:24Well, that's reassuring news for Donna,
0:36:24 > 0:36:27but still, the official advice is not to get too close.
0:36:28 > 0:36:30Stay 5cm away.
0:36:30 > 0:36:32So, don't put your eye right against the grid,
0:36:32 > 0:36:33don't touch the grid.
0:36:33 > 0:36:37That will ensure the levels are even lower and you're even safer.
0:36:37 > 0:36:40So, do microwaves ever leak, and if they did leak,
0:36:40 > 0:36:42what could be the cause of them leaking?
0:36:42 > 0:36:45If they're not kept clean and the seals are full of dirt -
0:36:45 > 0:36:49so much dirt that the seal becomes leaky -
0:36:49 > 0:36:52much more microwave radiation can leak out.
0:36:52 > 0:36:55So, it's a good job I keep my microwave very clean, then.
0:36:56 > 0:36:59But while she's at least reassured on the safety front,
0:36:59 > 0:37:00Donna's got a long way to go
0:37:00 > 0:37:03before she can learn to love her microwave,
0:37:03 > 0:37:05not least because she's got no idea
0:37:05 > 0:37:08how to use it for anything other than reheating.
0:37:08 > 0:37:10The only button, to be honest, that I do use
0:37:10 > 0:37:13is the 30-second start button to reheat things
0:37:13 > 0:37:16and I would have absolutely no idea
0:37:16 > 0:37:19how to cook a meal from scratch in the microwave.
0:37:21 > 0:37:23So, we're taking Donna to meet someone
0:37:23 > 0:37:25who can show her exactly how to do that.
0:37:25 > 0:37:28Indeed, so passionate is Jennipher Marshall-Jenkinson
0:37:28 > 0:37:29about the microwave,
0:37:29 > 0:37:32that she says she's not cooked in a conventional oven
0:37:32 > 0:37:34for something like 30 years.
0:37:35 > 0:37:38Microwave ovens, they are great.
0:37:38 > 0:37:40They are the safest,
0:37:40 > 0:37:44most energy-efficient piece of cooking equipment
0:37:44 > 0:37:46that is out there.
0:37:46 > 0:37:50All my children have never eaten any meal that I've cooked for them
0:37:50 > 0:37:53that hasn't been cooked in a microwave oven.
0:37:54 > 0:37:58Jennipher's actually chair of the UK Microwave Association,
0:37:58 > 0:38:00so it's not surprising that she's evangelical
0:38:00 > 0:38:03in spreading the word about the oven's benefits.
0:38:03 > 0:38:06So, she's going to see if she can win over not just Donna,
0:38:06 > 0:38:09but some of her equally sceptical friends.
0:38:09 > 0:38:12I'm on a mission this afternoon to dispel all those myths
0:38:12 > 0:38:16that there are about microwaves and microwave-cooked food.
0:38:16 > 0:38:18First to voice her concerns is Donna.
0:38:18 > 0:38:21Although she does use her microwave for reheating,
0:38:21 > 0:38:24she's not all that happy with the end product.
0:38:24 > 0:38:26I often find that it doesn't taste as nice
0:38:26 > 0:38:30and it's often dry, goes dry around the edges.
0:38:30 > 0:38:33So, why should I stop using my traditional method
0:38:33 > 0:38:36of using my hob or oven and switch to the microwave
0:38:36 > 0:38:39if it doesn't taste as fresh or as good?
0:38:39 > 0:38:40I think a great deal of this
0:38:40 > 0:38:44comes down to understanding about what microwaves can do
0:38:44 > 0:38:46and what they're capable of.
0:38:46 > 0:38:50Microwaves are using the moisture that's in the food itself
0:38:50 > 0:38:53to cook the food. Therefore, it's a moist method of cooking.
0:38:53 > 0:38:56You'll never be able to roast potatoes in a microwave.
0:38:56 > 0:38:58You'll never be able to make toast.
0:38:58 > 0:39:01So, microwave ovens are really, really fantastic
0:39:01 > 0:39:06at cooking some foods, for example, cakes, fish and vegetables.
0:39:06 > 0:39:09Mum Cathy only uses her microwave to reheat food,
0:39:09 > 0:39:12and she's concerned that vegetables cooked in it
0:39:12 > 0:39:15might not be as nutritious as hob-cooked veg.
0:39:15 > 0:39:17I currently steam all my vegetables,
0:39:17 > 0:39:20which is very simple, very quick and very tasty.
0:39:20 > 0:39:24How does the microwave cope with the food once it's been in there?
0:39:24 > 0:39:25Well, I'm very pleased to say
0:39:25 > 0:39:28nutrients are retained in microwave-cooked vegetables.
0:39:28 > 0:39:29They stay in the vegetables
0:39:29 > 0:39:34because you're not diluting the nutrients with water
0:39:34 > 0:39:35as you're cooking them.
0:39:35 > 0:39:38You're literally cooking them in their own moisture
0:39:38 > 0:39:40in the microwave oven.
0:39:40 > 0:39:43Although some vitamins, such as vitamin C,
0:39:43 > 0:39:45are broken down by heat,
0:39:45 > 0:39:47other nutrients are more likely to be retained
0:39:47 > 0:39:50through microwave cooking because they're cooked quickly,
0:39:50 > 0:39:52heated for the shortest amount of time
0:39:52 > 0:39:55and done so using as little liquid as possible.
0:39:55 > 0:39:58MICROWAVE BEEPS
0:39:58 > 0:40:02Donna, Mark and Cathy only use their microwaves to reheat food,
0:40:02 > 0:40:06so Jennipher wants to show them the machines can cook as well,
0:40:06 > 0:40:10and she's picked out two dishes that she says triumph in the microwave.
0:40:10 > 0:40:12First off, it's bacon.
0:40:12 > 0:40:15So, I've got three rashers of bacon here
0:40:15 > 0:40:18and each rasher of bacon, I know,
0:40:18 > 0:40:21will take approximately one minute in the microwave to crisp up.
0:40:23 > 0:40:25It does smell good, I have to say that.
0:40:25 > 0:40:27It's popping a lot.
0:40:27 > 0:40:29It still doesn't smell quite as good as it does on the hob.
0:40:29 > 0:40:33That's because you're not frying the bacon in lots of fat,
0:40:33 > 0:40:35so it's a very healthy way of cooking the bacon.
0:40:35 > 0:40:37MICROWAVE BEEPS
0:40:41 > 0:40:44- It looks OK.- Go for it.
0:40:48 > 0:40:50Tasty, but a little bit dry.
0:40:50 > 0:40:53Well, it's tasty, a tiny bit crispy.
0:40:53 > 0:40:56It's not quite how I'd cook it, but it's not at all bad.
0:40:57 > 0:40:59And if that wasn't enough to change their minds,
0:40:59 > 0:41:02the fairy cakes Jennipher whips up and cooks in the microwave
0:41:02 > 0:41:06in just one minute go a long way to winning them all round.
0:41:12 > 0:41:15MICROWAVE BEEPS
0:41:15 > 0:41:18And here's the finished result.
0:41:18 > 0:41:21For me, as a working mum, pop all the ingredients in a bowl,
0:41:21 > 0:41:23pop them in the microwave
0:41:23 > 0:41:26and you get 24 fairy cakes coming out within a minute,
0:41:26 > 0:41:28ice them and put the sprinkles on top,
0:41:28 > 0:41:30- is a fantastic idea.- Delicious.
0:41:32 > 0:41:34So, now that Donna's armed with cooking tips
0:41:34 > 0:41:36and has had her safety fears allayed,
0:41:36 > 0:41:40has she a different opinion about that little metal box?
0:41:40 > 0:41:42I think it has dispelled a lot of the myths.
0:41:42 > 0:41:47With three children, I think it is all about saving time where I can
0:41:47 > 0:41:49and maybe cutting a few corners in that respect,
0:41:49 > 0:41:52especially if there's no nutrients lost in the actual cooking.
0:41:52 > 0:41:54So, I think, from that point of view,
0:41:54 > 0:41:58I will definitely be using my microwave more.
0:42:04 > 0:42:07If you have a story that you'd like us to investigate,
0:42:07 > 0:42:10then do get in touch with us via our Facebook page -
0:42:10 > 0:42:12BBC Rip-Off Britain.
0:42:12 > 0:42:17Our website is bbc.co.uk/ripoffbritain.
0:42:17 > 0:42:18Or you can e-mail us at...
0:42:23 > 0:42:27Or, indeed, if you want to send us a letter, then our address is...
0:42:38 > 0:42:41Well, we've seen quite a few old chestnuts
0:42:41 > 0:42:43- thoroughly debunked on today's programme.- Haven't we?
0:42:43 > 0:42:47For instance, some people are still suspicious of microwaves
0:42:47 > 0:42:49without any good reason, it turns out.
0:42:49 > 0:42:51And who knew it was such a brilliant way to cook bacon?
0:42:51 > 0:42:53I certainly didn't.
0:42:53 > 0:42:55But it just goes to show that some of the advice
0:42:55 > 0:42:57that we've instinctively clung to for years
0:42:57 > 0:42:59can be little better than an old housewives' tale,
0:42:59 > 0:43:02which is especially frustrating when, actually,
0:43:02 > 0:43:05all any of us want to know is how to store it,
0:43:05 > 0:43:08cook it and eat food in the simplest and safest way.
0:43:08 > 0:43:10But if there is anything to do with food
0:43:10 > 0:43:13that still leaves you just that little bit baffled or unsure,
0:43:13 > 0:43:15then do let us know and we'll see if it's something
0:43:15 > 0:43:18that we can all investigate on a future programme.
0:43:18 > 0:43:20But I'm afraid that's all that we've got time for today.
0:43:20 > 0:43:22We'll be seeing you again very soon.
0:43:22 > 0:43:25- So, from all of us on the team, bye-bye.- Bye-bye.- Bye.