0:00:02 > 0:00:05There's a lot we don't know about the food on our plates and the shops
0:00:05 > 0:00:08and the labels don't always tell you the whole story.
0:00:08 > 0:00:12I think they encourage you to buy more than you need and that causes
0:00:12 > 0:00:13a lot of waste.
0:00:13 > 0:00:16Whether you are staying in or going out,
0:00:16 > 0:00:19you've told us that you can feel ripped off by the promises made
0:00:19 > 0:00:22for what you eat and indeed what you pay for it.
0:00:22 > 0:00:25How do you know that it's half price?
0:00:25 > 0:00:26So, what they've done,
0:00:26 > 0:00:28they've bumped the price up and they've knocked it down.
0:00:28 > 0:00:31From claims that don't stack up,
0:00:31 > 0:00:33to the secrets behind the packaging,
0:00:33 > 0:00:36we'll undercover the truth about Britain's food,
0:00:36 > 0:00:38so that you can be sure you are
0:00:38 > 0:00:41getting what you expect at the right price.
0:00:41 > 0:00:43Your food, your money.
0:00:43 > 0:00:45This is Rip Off Britain.
0:00:49 > 0:00:51Hello and welcome once again to Rip Off Britain,
0:00:51 > 0:00:54where this series, we're getting stuck into your problems
0:00:54 > 0:00:57and concerns relating to food.
0:00:57 > 0:01:00And today, we're tackling difficulties that crop up with
0:01:00 > 0:01:02something that quite literally
0:01:02 > 0:01:04surrounds almost every tasty morsel we eat.
0:01:04 > 0:01:08Yes, we're talking about issues to do with packaging and I hate it!
0:01:08 > 0:01:10That was heart-felt, Gloria.
0:01:10 > 0:01:11And I think it's fair to say that
0:01:11 > 0:01:14there is more to some of the information
0:01:14 > 0:01:16that you'll find printed there than meets the eye.
0:01:16 > 0:01:19Manufacturers, of course, are constantly evolving
0:01:19 > 0:01:22and changing the way that they pack and wrap our foods.
0:01:22 > 0:01:24They don't always make things easy for us,
0:01:24 > 0:01:28whether that's with opening the packages itself and stand by for
0:01:28 > 0:01:29some classics in that, or with
0:01:29 > 0:01:32the details that you're going to find on it.
0:01:32 > 0:01:35And, as ever, we're following up your complaints about packaging,
0:01:35 > 0:01:39because you've told us that some of what's printed on a product can be
0:01:39 > 0:01:41confusing or even misleading.
0:01:41 > 0:01:44- Well, we love a challenge, don't we? - Don't we just!
0:01:44 > 0:01:46So, we're going to try to make sense of it all and as we do,
0:01:46 > 0:01:49there'll be some surprises and plenty of tips to help you find
0:01:49 > 0:01:52the food you want at the price you want to pay for it.
0:01:54 > 0:01:57Coming up, we're on the trail of the farms
0:01:57 > 0:02:00you might assume from the label produce your supermarket foods -
0:02:00 > 0:02:02does it matter if they don't exist?
0:02:02 > 0:02:06I cannot see why they use generic
0:02:06 > 0:02:09and fictitious names if they are
0:02:09 > 0:02:12proud of the product that goes in them.
0:02:12 > 0:02:14And we take on a tin that's proving
0:02:14 > 0:02:17too tough to tease open for some of you.
0:02:17 > 0:02:20All it's doing is depositing bits of paint and bits of metal
0:02:20 > 0:02:23into the bit what is actually open.
0:02:23 > 0:02:25We'll see if we can find a new design
0:02:25 > 0:02:27which will make it easier to crack.
0:02:31 > 0:02:34Now, when it comes to food on the supermarket shelves,
0:02:34 > 0:02:37the range of the stuff on sale has never been greater.
0:02:37 > 0:02:40Do you know that in one supermarket, for example,
0:02:40 > 0:02:44you can choose between more than 200 varieties of crisp?
0:02:44 > 0:02:47I mean, how on earth are we supposed to choose?
0:02:47 > 0:02:50Well, of course the packaging plays a huge part in influencing us and
0:02:50 > 0:02:54manufacturers have entire teams of people dedicated to coming up with
0:02:54 > 0:02:57new ways of making their product stand out.
0:02:57 > 0:03:01And one thing that really has proved to work is if food labels suggest
0:03:01 > 0:03:03that a product is home-grown
0:03:03 > 0:03:07or comes from a farm, but spoiler alert,
0:03:07 > 0:03:10it seems not all the farms you may be tempted by
0:03:10 > 0:03:12are necessarily what you think.
0:03:15 > 0:03:17Our enthusiasm for locally-sourced
0:03:17 > 0:03:19food shows no sign of slowing down...
0:03:19 > 0:03:22We believe in the great British farmer...
0:03:22 > 0:03:24..and judging by these adverts,
0:03:24 > 0:03:28it's something the supermarkets have been quick to cash in on.
0:03:28 > 0:03:32We'll stop at nothing to provide you with great produce at a great price.
0:03:32 > 0:03:37Whether it's James Martin looking at lettuces from a farm for ASDA...
0:03:37 > 0:03:42Now, this place can often be described as the salad bowl of the UK.
0:03:42 > 0:03:45..Lidl showing a curious shopper around a beef farm...
0:03:45 > 0:03:48My beef is all Scots assured and this is the stuff they're raised on.
0:03:48 > 0:03:50Good Scottish grass.
0:03:50 > 0:03:55..or Tesco cheese being produced on a lovely traditional farm...
0:03:55 > 0:03:59I'm James and I work closely with our farmhouse cheesemakers to ensure
0:03:59 > 0:04:01that Tesco have the finest.
0:04:01 > 0:04:06..all these ads hammer home the message that supermarkets are as
0:04:06 > 0:04:09keen as we are to have food that comes from UK farmers.
0:04:09 > 0:04:14But, is that seemingly farm-produced product you pick up at your local
0:04:14 > 0:04:17store quite as British as you might think?
0:04:17 > 0:04:20Or indeed as some of the labels might have you believe?
0:04:24 > 0:04:27It was frustration about that which prompted retired dairy farmer
0:04:27 > 0:04:30Ian Bailey to write to us.
0:04:30 > 0:04:35We go to our local supermarket at least once a week,
0:04:35 > 0:04:40mainly it would be meat products or fresh food.
0:04:40 > 0:04:43On one particular visit to his local Tesco,
0:04:43 > 0:04:46Ian noticed the supermarket had a new range of foods branded with
0:04:46 > 0:04:48the names of farms.
0:04:48 > 0:04:53Based on the packaging, he imagined the products came from UK farms,
0:04:53 > 0:04:57but when he took a closer look at the label on some tomatoes
0:04:57 > 0:04:59he found that wasn't the case at all.
0:05:01 > 0:05:05Not all of them actually came from the UK
0:05:05 > 0:05:09despite the very English farm names.
0:05:09 > 0:05:13There were products there that came from continental countries,
0:05:13 > 0:05:17and yet the name on the products certainly led me to believe
0:05:17 > 0:05:19that they were a British product.
0:05:21 > 0:05:23Ian felt thoroughly misled,
0:05:23 > 0:05:27so he complained to his local store and asked for more information about
0:05:27 > 0:05:29the farms named on the labels.
0:05:29 > 0:05:33To his surprise, he was told that they weren't real farms.
0:05:33 > 0:05:36In fact the names were totally made up.
0:05:36 > 0:05:40I felt really annoyed and probably I felt deceived, to be honest.
0:05:40 > 0:05:42The line that was taken was
0:05:42 > 0:05:46that they had satisfied all of the packaging standards
0:05:46 > 0:05:51that they had to legally comply with and basically they were
0:05:51 > 0:05:54going to do absolutely nothing about it whatsoever.
0:05:54 > 0:05:59Ian remains convinced the labelling of these products is misleading.
0:05:59 > 0:06:03But Tesco isn't the only supermarket to cotton on to the fact that a hint
0:06:03 > 0:06:07of farm freshness can make products more appealing.
0:06:07 > 0:06:10Other big names do something similar.
0:06:12 > 0:06:15So, to find out exactly how much of a difference it makes,
0:06:15 > 0:06:19I've set up a stall here in Eastgate Market in Gloucester.
0:06:19 > 0:06:23We've labelled some products with a made-up farm name that sounds
0:06:23 > 0:06:27particularly charming and put them alongside identical food with a
0:06:27 > 0:06:29more straightforward label,
0:06:29 > 0:06:32to see which my customers would be more likely to buy.
0:06:33 > 0:06:36I want to know which of those would you be attracted to?
0:06:36 > 0:06:39The farm on all of them, I would imagine.
0:06:39 > 0:06:42- And why would that be? - Because I'm an ex-farmer.
0:06:42 > 0:06:44THEY LAUGH So you are biased?
0:06:44 > 0:06:46Yes. Biased.
0:06:46 > 0:06:47If I'm not looking at the price,
0:06:47 > 0:06:49I would look then at the product itself.
0:06:49 > 0:06:52So the issue of it being labelled as a farm product doesn't really figure
0:06:52 > 0:06:55- with you when you're shopping? - No. Not at all.
0:06:55 > 0:06:58The label, you know, it makes me feel that
0:06:58 > 0:07:02it's kind of like organic kind of thing.
0:07:02 > 0:07:05You know what I mean? Quite fresh and not chemical and stuff.
0:07:05 > 0:07:10- The same with this one.- Is the concept of farm important to you?
0:07:10 > 0:07:13I'd probably be more likely to buy that.
0:07:13 > 0:07:16Would it surprise you to know that these farms don't exist?
0:07:16 > 0:07:18Well, a little bit.
0:07:18 > 0:07:20How would you feel about that?
0:07:20 > 0:07:22Like I was being lied to.
0:07:24 > 0:07:26Well, out of the four people we asked,
0:07:26 > 0:07:28three said they'd be more likely to
0:07:28 > 0:07:30buy the products with the farm labels.
0:07:30 > 0:07:34Which is why brand expert Phillip Adcock believes that creating these
0:07:34 > 0:07:37ranges is a no-brainer for the supermarkets.
0:07:39 > 0:07:42Branding a product as a farm type has lots of positives to it.
0:07:42 > 0:07:45For a start, anybody who thinks something at a farm is going to be fresher.
0:07:45 > 0:07:48It's got to be more healthy. It's not so mass produced.
0:07:48 > 0:07:50So people like the farm connotation.
0:07:51 > 0:07:54When you ask yourself whether the supermarket's doing anything wrong,
0:07:54 > 0:07:56and they have a moral responsibility,
0:07:56 > 0:07:59I think they're only doing something morally wrong if they're cutting out
0:07:59 > 0:08:01the British farmer in favour of cheaper imports.
0:08:01 > 0:08:06So, if British farmers are losing out to foreign farmers under
0:08:06 > 0:08:09the guise of it being a British farm product that it isn't,
0:08:09 > 0:08:12then they probably have some moral questions to ask themselves.
0:08:13 > 0:08:17Well, earlier this year, following controversy over the origin
0:08:17 > 0:08:18of produce labelled with the names
0:08:18 > 0:08:22of farms that don't exist, another supermarket chain, Aldi,
0:08:22 > 0:08:27announced that it would now only source its farm range from the UK.
0:08:27 > 0:08:31But for the National Farmers' Union, that doesn't go far enough.
0:08:31 > 0:08:32In July, 2016,
0:08:32 > 0:08:37it complained to Trading Standards that the farm ranges sold at Tesco
0:08:37 > 0:08:40and other supermarkets could be misleading for shoppers.
0:08:40 > 0:08:44That complaint was passed on to the Food Standards Agency,
0:08:44 > 0:08:45but when we chased it up,
0:08:45 > 0:08:49we were told that as a labelling issue it had been referred on again,
0:08:49 > 0:08:52this time to the Government agency, DEFRA.
0:08:52 > 0:08:56So, we called DEFRA and were told that the issue here was branding
0:08:56 > 0:09:00and not labelling. Their advice, contact Trading Standards.
0:09:00 > 0:09:03In other words, back to square one.
0:09:09 > 0:09:13Since then, the NFU has been told by DEFRA that Trading Standards have
0:09:13 > 0:09:16now been instructed to deal with this labelling issue.
0:09:16 > 0:09:18NFU member Matthew Rymer
0:09:18 > 0:09:21has long campaigned for total transparency and honesty
0:09:21 > 0:09:26in the sourcing and production of meat across the UK.
0:09:26 > 0:09:29He's far from happy about the supermarket's attempts to promote food that
0:09:29 > 0:09:34gives the impression it's produced on the actual farms on the labels.
0:09:34 > 0:09:36But he has an idea as to why Tesco
0:09:36 > 0:09:38and the like may have decided to do it.
0:09:41 > 0:09:44I think "farm" is one of the most widely abused words
0:09:44 > 0:09:46in food and drink.
0:09:46 > 0:09:51There remains a massive sympathy for farms and the retailers are playing
0:09:51 > 0:09:55on that. But if you look behind the scenes,
0:09:55 > 0:10:00you'll find that they're creating a very unsustainable food production
0:10:00 > 0:10:03chain. Now, you might say, "We've got a nation to feed."
0:10:03 > 0:10:05I say, "Yes, of course.
0:10:05 > 0:10:07"But empower the consumer to make a decision."
0:10:09 > 0:10:12But, in fact, Tesco are not breaking the law by choosing to label some
0:10:12 > 0:10:15products in this way.
0:10:15 > 0:10:16They're perfectly entitled and it makes,
0:10:16 > 0:10:19probably, certainly in the short-term,
0:10:19 > 0:10:21very good sense for their shareholders.
0:10:23 > 0:10:27But Matthew wants consumers to know exactly where their meat
0:10:27 > 0:10:30has come from. His cattle stock are part of a new initiative
0:10:30 > 0:10:33which tracks food from source to table.
0:10:33 > 0:10:37The so-called Happerley scheme uses a code on the packaging which
0:10:37 > 0:10:39shoppers scan so that they can see
0:10:39 > 0:10:42every stage of the product's journey.
0:10:42 > 0:10:44It's like a passport.
0:10:44 > 0:10:47When you take UK livestock, they all carry passports.
0:10:47 > 0:10:49There's a wealth of information
0:10:49 > 0:10:53that farmers have that is lost through the food chain
0:10:53 > 0:10:56and a lot of people that have turned vegetarian because they
0:10:56 > 0:11:00are not just quite sure where their meat is from.
0:11:00 > 0:11:05And when you come across fake farm meat labels, as you do with Tesco,
0:11:05 > 0:11:08wrapping up a piece of anonymous flesh, basically.
0:11:08 > 0:11:12All you know is it's British, well, that's doing nobody a favour.
0:11:16 > 0:11:20And there are others who say Tesco's labelling does nobody a favour by
0:11:20 > 0:11:23conjuring up images of farms that don't exist,
0:11:23 > 0:11:26or at least not in a way you might assume.
0:11:26 > 0:11:31There are in fact farms with the names you will see on the packaging.
0:11:31 > 0:11:32But when we called a few,
0:11:32 > 0:11:36it was clear they've got nothing to do with Tesco.
0:11:36 > 0:11:39One was an activity centre and another a restaurant.
0:11:39 > 0:11:42But we also spoke to the owner of a Boswell Farm,
0:11:42 > 0:11:44the name on some of Tesco's meat
0:11:44 > 0:11:46and she's certainly got a beef with them.
0:11:47 > 0:11:49Well, the plot thickens!
0:11:54 > 0:11:57Situated in East Devon, the arable farm is also a collection of holiday
0:11:57 > 0:11:59cottages and a pilates retreat.
0:12:03 > 0:12:04Its owner Linda Dillon
0:12:04 > 0:12:09has spent 22 years building up her business and isn't too happy that
0:12:09 > 0:12:12Tesco is also using the Boswell name to market its products.
0:12:15 > 0:12:19I went to my local Tescos and there were all these packages with
0:12:19 > 0:12:21Boswell Farm written on them.
0:12:21 > 0:12:23I really couldn't believe it
0:12:23 > 0:12:27and I couldn't understand why they hadn't contacted me.
0:12:27 > 0:12:29I was very upset
0:12:29 > 0:12:34because I didn't see that this would be publicity that would benefit my
0:12:34 > 0:12:38business in my way at all. In fact, it could do it harm.
0:12:39 > 0:12:42But when she contacted Tesco,
0:12:42 > 0:12:45Linda wasn't at all happy with its response.
0:12:45 > 0:12:49In fact, it indicated it was in the process of trademarking the name.
0:12:49 > 0:12:53I didn't feel they were very interested in what I had to say.
0:12:53 > 0:12:57This name has been attached to this piece of land for 400 years.
0:12:57 > 0:13:01And they said that I would have to wait and see
0:13:01 > 0:13:03when their patent went through.
0:13:04 > 0:13:08In the meantime, Linda says she's been contacted by people wondering
0:13:08 > 0:13:11if her farm is the one on the Tesco label
0:13:11 > 0:13:14and she's fed up with the whole business.
0:13:14 > 0:13:18I would very much like Tescos to remove the name Boswell Farm from
0:13:18 > 0:13:23their packaging because this was done without me knowing about it.
0:13:26 > 0:13:29When we contacted Tesco about Linda's concerns,
0:13:29 > 0:13:32it didn't comment on them specifically.
0:13:32 > 0:13:35But on the broader issue of the naming of its farm ranges,
0:13:35 > 0:13:37the supermarket reiterated that
0:13:37 > 0:13:39these are brands rather than suppliers.
0:13:41 > 0:13:42And it said that its customers,
0:13:42 > 0:13:45two-thirds of whom had bought products from the ranges,
0:13:45 > 0:13:49are savvy enough to know that one farm couldn't possibly supply
0:13:49 > 0:13:51products on the scale that Tesco sells them.
0:13:53 > 0:13:56It sold us that it sources the produce from...
0:13:58 > 0:14:00..so that shoppers can buy their
0:14:00 > 0:14:02favourite produce all year around,
0:14:02 > 0:14:07and reiterated that every product is clearly labelled with its country of
0:14:07 > 0:14:10origin, with the Union Flag displayed prominently
0:14:10 > 0:14:12on all British produce.
0:14:14 > 0:14:18But while Tesco says that the farm names on its packaging are simply
0:14:18 > 0:14:24brands and don't in any way denote real farms, back in Dorset,
0:14:24 > 0:14:25Ian still believes that they're not
0:14:25 > 0:14:28making that clear enough on the labels.
0:14:28 > 0:14:32I would like to see the name of the producer, the farm,
0:14:32 > 0:14:34and the area that it is produced in.
0:14:34 > 0:14:37And I cannot see why they use
0:14:37 > 0:14:40generic and fictitious names
0:14:40 > 0:14:43if they're proud of the product that goes in them.
0:14:48 > 0:14:50Still to come on Rip Off Britain,
0:14:50 > 0:14:54is it safe to reheat food that the label says you shouldn't?
0:14:54 > 0:14:57We settle the debate for one concerned viewer.
0:14:57 > 0:15:04I know a lot of my friends use the supermarket chicken and therefore
0:15:04 > 0:15:08I'm just wondering if they're putting themselves at risk.
0:15:12 > 0:15:15In the past on this programme we've investigated foods that some of you
0:15:15 > 0:15:19have told us that you have a real struggle managing to eat.
0:15:19 > 0:15:21Simply because you can't open the packaging.
0:15:21 > 0:15:24Well, since our previous report,
0:15:24 > 0:15:28you've continued to tell us about supposedly convenient foods that can
0:15:28 > 0:15:32prove to be anything but, if you can't get into them.
0:15:32 > 0:15:35And amongst the e-mails that you've sent us on this subject,
0:15:35 > 0:15:38there's one particular product that stands out.
0:15:38 > 0:15:41These tinned Fray Bentos pies.
0:15:41 > 0:15:46A favourite with many of you, if only you could get at what's inside.
0:15:46 > 0:15:47Well, we hate to see anyone suffer.
0:15:47 > 0:15:52So, we set out to discover why the company can't seem to find an easier
0:15:52 > 0:15:54way of packaging its pies.
0:15:58 > 0:16:02Food has been sold in cans in the UK for decades.
0:16:02 > 0:16:06Invented in the 19th century as a way to give sailors a supply of
0:16:06 > 0:16:08fresh food whilst at sea,
0:16:08 > 0:16:10tinned goods really caught on in the Second World War,
0:16:10 > 0:16:14when they were shipped abroad to supply our troops.
0:16:14 > 0:16:18Cut to the present day, and canned foods are a massive industry,
0:16:18 > 0:16:20with tinned meat pies alone
0:16:20 > 0:16:23accounting for around £17 million of sales.
0:16:25 > 0:16:28And until recently, Simon Houghton from Worcester
0:16:28 > 0:16:32had long been a fan of one of the best known and longest established
0:16:32 > 0:16:36names in the pie business - Fray Bentos.
0:16:36 > 0:16:40They're just handy to keep in the cupboard because being in the tin,
0:16:40 > 0:16:43they've got a long life, so you've not got to worry about it,
0:16:43 > 0:16:46using it in a couple of days.
0:16:46 > 0:16:49If you finish work and you just want something that you ain't got to
0:16:49 > 0:16:53prepare, in theory you could just open the tin and have a pie.
0:16:54 > 0:16:59And what could be more low-maintenance than opening a tin and sticking it
0:16:59 > 0:17:01in the oven? Well, on one occasion
0:17:01 > 0:17:04Simon struggled even to get that far.
0:17:04 > 0:17:08In total it took about 40, 45 minutes to open the tin.
0:17:08 > 0:17:12And the tin opener I used was very similar to this one.
0:17:12 > 0:17:16And as you can see, it just got nowhere. It just chews at the tin.
0:17:16 > 0:17:17It just hurts your hand.
0:17:19 > 0:17:21And all it's doing is depositing
0:17:21 > 0:17:25bits of paint and bits of metal into the bit that's actually open.
0:17:25 > 0:17:29It got to one point I was actually, like, trying to use a knife to prize
0:17:29 > 0:17:32it open, to try and get the tin opener to connect.
0:17:33 > 0:17:36And there was more than just a meal at stake.
0:17:36 > 0:17:39With the family dinner so dramatically delayed,
0:17:39 > 0:17:41Simon's wife was not happy.
0:17:41 > 0:17:44After the length of time it took, tension was building up.
0:17:44 > 0:17:47I was tired. All I wanted was my tea.
0:17:47 > 0:17:50It caused a bit of tension in the household.
0:17:52 > 0:17:56And I could say that night it just ended up going in the bin.
0:17:56 > 0:17:58Fray Bentos does state
0:17:58 > 0:18:02on its tins that a robust opener should be used.
0:18:02 > 0:18:06But Simon had always thought that the tin opener in his drawer WAS robust.
0:18:06 > 0:18:09He certainly didn't have problems opening anything else.
0:18:09 > 0:18:11When Simon subsequently complained to the company,
0:18:11 > 0:18:15it did recommend a specific brand of tin opener,
0:18:15 > 0:18:17that it promised was up to the job.
0:18:17 > 0:18:21But Simon doesn't see why he should need to buy a special new piece of
0:18:21 > 0:18:23equipment for such an everyday task.
0:18:23 > 0:18:25And across the country,
0:18:25 > 0:18:29other pie fans are also struggling to release their steak and ales from
0:18:29 > 0:18:31these metal prisons.
0:18:31 > 0:18:33In addition to those that have contacted us,
0:18:33 > 0:18:36some have recorded their rather unorthodox
0:18:36 > 0:18:38tin-opening techniques online.
0:18:38 > 0:18:40This thing does not open.
0:18:45 > 0:18:46One broken one.
0:18:49 > 0:18:51Two broken ones.
0:18:54 > 0:18:57Now we're trying a new one. Here we go!
0:18:58 > 0:19:02Should be "Fray Bentos tender, just starving"!
0:19:03 > 0:19:05Halleluja! Bing bong!
0:19:07 > 0:19:10Of course it's not just Fray Bentos tins that people can have
0:19:10 > 0:19:13difficulties opening, or, indeed, simply pies.
0:19:13 > 0:19:16The internet is awash with people kept hungry by the products of
0:19:16 > 0:19:18a whole host of other manufacturers.
0:19:18 > 0:19:20Take this corned beef lover,
0:19:20 > 0:19:24who also posted her rather risky efforts online.
0:19:24 > 0:19:26Well, obviously don't try that at home!
0:19:27 > 0:19:29After seeing all that,
0:19:29 > 0:19:33we're putting tins of all shapes and sizes and brands alongside those pie
0:19:33 > 0:19:36tins in a not so scientific test
0:19:36 > 0:19:39to see which is the hardest to get into.
0:19:39 > 0:19:43And who better to tackle them than a couple of metal workers?
0:19:43 > 0:19:46My name's Stuart Mitchell and I'm a knife maker.
0:19:47 > 0:19:50I'm Andy Cole. I'm a forger in Portland Works.
0:19:51 > 0:19:55Here in the traditional home of steelworking, Sheffield,
0:19:55 > 0:19:59our two testers are armed with two ordinary tin openers like the ones
0:19:59 > 0:20:02you've probably got at home, as well as the specific one
0:20:02 > 0:20:05recommended by Fray Bentos to Simon when he complained.
0:20:06 > 0:20:09Stuart and Andy's challenge is to open a mix of the kind of
0:20:09 > 0:20:12tins that lurk in most people's cupboards,
0:20:12 > 0:20:13using either the tin openers,
0:20:13 > 0:20:17or, in some cases, the key supplied on the can.
0:20:17 > 0:20:19So, they've a classic tin of tuna,
0:20:19 > 0:20:22corned beef, some processed meat,
0:20:22 > 0:20:26and, of course, those large Fray Bentos round pie tins,
0:20:26 > 0:20:30and we're pitting them against each other, and against the clock,
0:20:30 > 0:20:32to see who can open them the fastest.
0:20:32 > 0:20:36All I can say is that I'm not too concerned about today's competition.
0:20:36 > 0:20:39It'll be a good competition and hopefully I'll win.
0:20:39 > 0:20:42Three, two, one...
0:20:42 > 0:20:44- Go!- All right, then.
0:20:44 > 0:20:47First, they're using this butterfly tin opener -
0:20:47 > 0:20:50perhaps the most familiar type of equipment for most of us.
0:20:50 > 0:20:53While Stuart's flying around the tuna tin with it,
0:20:53 > 0:20:56Andy's encountering some teething problems.
0:20:56 > 0:20:59Oh, what the hell's this?
0:20:59 > 0:21:02But once he's got a grip and mastered the technique,
0:21:02 > 0:21:04it's on to the corned beef and meat tins,
0:21:04 > 0:21:07which both our steelworkers do successfully get into
0:21:07 > 0:21:09with just the keys provided.
0:21:09 > 0:21:10Go on, Stuart!
0:21:12 > 0:21:15So, finally, how will they fare with the Fray Bentos tins?
0:21:15 > 0:21:17This is useless!
0:21:17 > 0:21:18HE LAUGHS
0:21:18 > 0:21:20Even with the cheapest opener,
0:21:20 > 0:21:23Stuart's got his tin open in no time,
0:21:23 > 0:21:24unlike Andy.
0:21:24 > 0:21:26Is that your first one?
0:21:26 > 0:21:28- Yeah. It won't cut! - HE LAUGHS
0:21:28 > 0:21:31After almost three minutes of rather fruitless effort
0:21:31 > 0:21:32to get into the pie,
0:21:32 > 0:21:35Andy's had enough of the butterfly opener and the tin.
0:21:35 > 0:21:37I'm giving up on that one.
0:21:37 > 0:21:39- Dying of starvation over here(!) - ANDY LAUGHS
0:21:39 > 0:21:43Stuart hits the finishing line after just seven minutes.
0:21:43 > 0:21:44Oh, I don't know...
0:21:44 > 0:21:48But Andy's not ready to throw in the towel just yet,
0:21:48 > 0:21:51and in fact, with the two more robust openers,
0:21:51 > 0:21:55he too breezes through those final pie tins.
0:21:55 > 0:21:57This one's best, up until now.
0:22:01 > 0:22:03Finished!
0:22:03 > 0:22:05- Well done!- Congratulations!
0:22:05 > 0:22:08I was confident before the competition, but I...
0:22:08 > 0:22:11Obviously I won, but I didn't quite expect to win by those lengths.
0:22:11 > 0:22:13I could have had four more tins.
0:22:13 > 0:22:15It was the first Fray Bentos tin that did it.
0:22:15 > 0:22:18I couldn't get in it. That first can opener...
0:22:18 > 0:22:21I was getting ready to chuck it in the bin there and then.
0:22:21 > 0:22:24It just didn't seem to cut and grip.
0:22:25 > 0:22:29So, in our test, the cheapest type of tin opener, the butterfly one,
0:22:29 > 0:22:33which cost us just 49p, proved inconsistent,
0:22:33 > 0:22:35while the one Fray Bentos recommended did have
0:22:35 > 0:22:37the best results.
0:22:37 > 0:22:41Unfortunately, however, that means to guarantee success
0:22:41 > 0:22:46when getting into your tin, you'll have had to fork out £9.99 -
0:22:46 > 0:22:50quite an investment for a pie that can cost as little as £1,
0:22:50 > 0:22:53and 20 times more than the basic kind of opener
0:22:53 > 0:22:55many of us typically rely on.
0:22:55 > 0:22:59The company did, however, also recommend one you can buy for £7.50,
0:22:59 > 0:23:01and a tin opener we picked up for a couple of pounds
0:23:01 > 0:23:04also did the trick -
0:23:04 > 0:23:07all of which rather begs the question as to why Fray Bentos
0:23:07 > 0:23:10can't just make their pies easier to open.
0:23:10 > 0:23:13Because, while our experiment has been a bit of fun,
0:23:13 > 0:23:18it is clear that, for some, what should be a simple kitchen task
0:23:18 > 0:23:20can be a real and frustrating challenge.
0:23:22 > 0:23:25As an older person or disabled, I think some of those tin openers -
0:23:25 > 0:23:27in fact, most of them probably - you would maybe struggle with.
0:23:27 > 0:23:30Well, knowing like how my mother is -
0:23:30 > 0:23:32she's got arthritic hands and that -
0:23:32 > 0:23:34she can't work any of those.
0:23:34 > 0:23:36I had to buy her an electric one.
0:23:36 > 0:23:38So, anybody with any slight disability
0:23:38 > 0:23:40wouldn't work any of them.
0:23:40 > 0:23:42They're just too much hard work.
0:23:45 > 0:23:48The design of this pie tin may be iconic,
0:23:48 > 0:23:50but, with so many people struggling to use it,
0:23:50 > 0:23:53surely there must be room for improvement.
0:23:55 > 0:23:57So, we've enlisted the help of creative designer
0:23:57 > 0:24:02and packaging expert John Kirkby, from Sheffield Hallam University,
0:24:02 > 0:24:05to see if he can come up with anything better.
0:24:08 > 0:24:11John's recorded video diaries to keep track of his progress
0:24:11 > 0:24:14as he attempts to redesign the tin.
0:24:14 > 0:24:16I've been out and I've bought some of the pies,
0:24:16 > 0:24:18and this is my first chance to have a good sit down
0:24:18 > 0:24:19and have a look at the packaging.
0:24:19 > 0:24:21To fully understand the problem,
0:24:21 > 0:24:24John needs to put the tins through their usual paces,
0:24:24 > 0:24:27which means having a go at opening them himself.
0:24:27 > 0:24:30It definitely makes a difference with the types of can opener
0:24:30 > 0:24:33that you use - the more robust one opens it much easier.
0:24:33 > 0:24:35It's a real struggle with the smaller one.
0:24:35 > 0:24:38And, once cooked, he has a much better idea of whether an entirely
0:24:38 > 0:24:41different method of opening could be the answer.
0:24:41 > 0:24:44A can with this size of diameter lid - it's difficult to get
0:24:44 > 0:24:46a ring-pull system to work.
0:24:46 > 0:24:47But we've modelled it up, anyway,
0:24:47 > 0:24:50and we're going to send it to the 3-D printer.
0:24:50 > 0:24:53John creates a replica of the tin to see if his solution
0:24:53 > 0:24:55might be more user-friendly.
0:24:55 > 0:24:56Let's take it away and have a look.
0:24:57 > 0:25:01After a thorough analysis of the model, he's reached a conclusion,
0:25:01 > 0:25:03and, perhaps surprisingly,
0:25:03 > 0:25:07while John can see the current design does have its downside,
0:25:07 > 0:25:09because it has to survive the cooking process,
0:25:09 > 0:25:13he thinks it is probably the best solution currently available.
0:25:13 > 0:25:15I think it has to be as it is, unfortunately.
0:25:15 > 0:25:20I think it needs to be this robust and this strong to do the protection
0:25:20 > 0:25:23and the long shelf life, as well as performing the cooking process.
0:25:23 > 0:25:25I think it's possibly a necessary evil.
0:25:26 > 0:25:31But it seems hope is on the horizon for those who'd say this necessary
0:25:31 > 0:25:34evil is more like "Mission: Impossible".
0:25:34 > 0:25:37When we contacted the owners of Fray Bentos, Baxters, about this,
0:25:37 > 0:25:40the company told us it's been listening to consumer feedback
0:25:40 > 0:25:43and working with its packaging manufacturer to improve
0:25:43 > 0:25:48the "openability" of the can without compromising quality or integrity.
0:25:48 > 0:25:51It reiterated what our packaging expert, John, had found,
0:25:51 > 0:25:54saying that a ring puller, no, wouldn't be suitable
0:25:54 > 0:25:57because the force required to lift the lid...
0:26:01 > 0:26:04But the company told us it is investigating what improvements
0:26:04 > 0:26:07can be made, such as enhancing the ridges on the lid,
0:26:07 > 0:26:09so that the tin opener sits on it better,
0:26:09 > 0:26:12and can more easily cut through the metal,
0:26:12 > 0:26:14as well as working on the thickness of the can.
0:26:15 > 0:26:18In the meantime, after we got in touch,
0:26:18 > 0:26:22advice on the robust opener best suited to opening the can
0:26:22 > 0:26:24has been added to its website.
0:26:29 > 0:26:30But back in Worcester,
0:26:30 > 0:26:33even though one of the sturdier models we've given Simon
0:26:33 > 0:26:35does seem to be cutting the mustard...
0:26:36 > 0:26:38OK, that does seem to be working.
0:26:38 > 0:26:40There you go! That worked a lot better.
0:26:41 > 0:26:44..the whole experience has rather dimmed his enthusiasm
0:26:44 > 0:26:46for his once-favourite pies,
0:26:46 > 0:26:49and the company putting details of its suggested tin opener
0:26:49 > 0:26:53on its website isn't the breakthrough he was looking for.
0:26:53 > 0:26:58If they've recommended a tin opener and they do work, then that's good,
0:26:58 > 0:27:00but I think that recommendation should be on the tin.
0:27:00 > 0:27:03But, no, I wouldn't buy any more pies.
0:27:08 > 0:27:10I have to tell you, I come from a family
0:27:10 > 0:27:12who don't throw anything away, and I mean anything.
0:27:12 > 0:27:15My mother, bless her, could make a chicken last for a week, and every
0:27:15 > 0:27:19leftover scrap of food was given a new lease of life another day.
0:27:19 > 0:27:21But, as you know, times have changed,
0:27:21 > 0:27:25and these days too many of our bins are bursting with perfectly good
0:27:25 > 0:27:27food that's simply being chucked away.
0:27:27 > 0:27:29And while one obvious solution is to once again
0:27:29 > 0:27:31learn to love our leftovers,
0:27:31 > 0:27:33there's a great deal of confusion around what
0:27:33 > 0:27:36we should or should not reheat.
0:27:36 > 0:27:38Well, one Rip-Off Britain viewer got in touch to say
0:27:38 > 0:27:40she thought she knew where she stood on this,
0:27:40 > 0:27:43until some supermarket labelling changed all of that,
0:27:43 > 0:27:45and now she's thoroughly baffled.
0:27:45 > 0:27:47So, she's asked us to get to the bottom of whether
0:27:47 > 0:27:50it's her that's got it wrong or the supermarkets.
0:27:53 > 0:27:57Now, although we don't like to waste food, we do throw away a lot of it.
0:27:57 > 0:28:01Every year, an estimated seven million tonnes of food and drink
0:28:01 > 0:28:07ends up in British bins, costing the average family around £470 a year,
0:28:07 > 0:28:10and a whopping 4.5 million tonnes of that
0:28:10 > 0:28:13is made up of uneaten leftovers.
0:28:13 > 0:28:15Oh, my goodness, that is an awful lot of food
0:28:15 > 0:28:17simply being chucked away,
0:28:17 > 0:28:20but, you know, part of that, I think, is down to the fact that
0:28:20 > 0:28:23with leftover food, sometimes we simply don't know whether
0:28:23 > 0:28:25we should reheat it or not.
0:28:27 > 0:28:30And, you know, I count myself as one of those people
0:28:30 > 0:28:32who isn't always sure on this point.
0:28:32 > 0:28:36On the one hand, reheating leftovers cuts down on waste and expenditure,
0:28:36 > 0:28:39but knowing there are some foods that sometimes
0:28:39 > 0:28:41are considered dangerous to reheat,
0:28:41 > 0:28:44well, that can really put you off even trying.
0:28:44 > 0:28:46So, we've cooked up our own foodie offerings,
0:28:46 > 0:28:49made up of some of the country's most common leftovers.
0:28:49 > 0:28:53Let's see how much the idea of eating reheated chicken,
0:28:53 > 0:28:55cottage pie, rice,
0:28:55 > 0:28:58fish and a sweet-and-sour takeaway appeals to you.
0:28:58 > 0:29:00I'd be happy to eat reheated salmon.
0:29:00 > 0:29:03I would not reheat the salmon.
0:29:03 > 0:29:05The rice, I would reheat.
0:29:05 > 0:29:07I'm always a bit funny about reheating rice.
0:29:07 > 0:29:11I've heard that rice needs to be reheated to kill the bacteria.
0:29:11 > 0:29:12Sweet-and-sour chicken,
0:29:12 > 0:29:16if the chicken's only been cooked once and been cooled correctly,
0:29:16 > 0:29:17I would consider reheating.
0:29:17 > 0:29:19I wouldn't really with the chicken.
0:29:19 > 0:29:23I would reheat the chicken if I wanted to eat it warm.
0:29:23 > 0:29:26In the past, I have cooked some chicken wrong,
0:29:26 > 0:29:29and gave us all violent sickness and diarrhoea.
0:29:31 > 0:29:33Well, judging by this lot,
0:29:33 > 0:29:36it seems that some of you are just as confused as I am
0:29:36 > 0:29:38about what to reheat,
0:29:38 > 0:29:41but I'm afraid there can be real dangers if we get it wrong.
0:29:41 > 0:29:45Every year, around one million of us fall ill with food poisoning.
0:29:45 > 0:29:47Most of us, of course, will recover quickly,
0:29:47 > 0:29:49but, in a number of cases, the consequences
0:29:49 > 0:29:51can be much more severe.
0:29:51 > 0:29:55The chef and manager of a pub in east London have been jailed after
0:29:55 > 0:29:58a woman died from eating a reheated Christmas Day dinner.
0:30:00 > 0:30:03Although, thankfully, cases like that one are rare,
0:30:03 > 0:30:06they're hard to forget when deliberating over which foods are
0:30:06 > 0:30:07safe to reheat.
0:30:07 > 0:30:09So, what are the rules to follow?
0:30:10 > 0:30:13Well, that's a question that Rip-Off Britain viewer Monique Bochet,
0:30:13 > 0:30:17up until recently an avid reheater, is very keen to get an answer to.
0:30:18 > 0:30:21I am not someone that wastes food.
0:30:21 > 0:30:27For one reason, I want to economise, because if you buy a pack of food,
0:30:27 > 0:30:29even with, like, portions,
0:30:29 > 0:30:33if you freeze it, you can have it the week after.
0:30:35 > 0:30:38After years of cheerfully reheating her leftovers,
0:30:38 > 0:30:40Monique was very surprised to find that the packaging on
0:30:40 > 0:30:43some chicken breasts in her local Waitrose supermarket
0:30:43 > 0:30:47stated they should not be reheated once they had cooled.
0:30:47 > 0:30:54And it's worrying that they put on all the packaging "no reheating".
0:30:54 > 0:30:59What confused me is that I have been doing it for so many years,
0:30:59 > 0:31:03and no-one has been ill in my family due to my cooking,
0:31:03 > 0:31:06therefore I couldn't understand why.
0:31:09 > 0:31:12Monique then went back to her local M&S,
0:31:12 > 0:31:16and found similar guidance on the back of its chicken breasts as well.
0:31:16 > 0:31:19It was all enough to make her rethink buying chicken altogether.
0:31:20 > 0:31:24I'm not using the supermarket chicken at the moment,
0:31:24 > 0:31:30but I know a lot of my friends use their meat,
0:31:30 > 0:31:34and therefore I'm just wondering if they are putting themselves at risk.
0:31:38 > 0:31:40Now, chicken does have a particularly bad name
0:31:40 > 0:31:42when it comes to food poisoning.
0:31:42 > 0:31:47In 2014, the Food Standards Agency reported that poultry was
0:31:47 > 0:31:50the food linked to the most cases of food poisoning,
0:31:50 > 0:31:54typically around 244,000 a year.
0:31:54 > 0:31:58Of course, not all of those cases are down to reheating food,
0:31:58 > 0:32:01but, at the end of it all, how worried should we be?
0:32:01 > 0:32:04And when it comes to those labels that Monique alerted us to,
0:32:04 > 0:32:08should we allow labels like that to put us off ever reheating chicken?
0:32:09 > 0:32:13Well, when we asked M&S and Waitrose about the labels that gave Monique
0:32:13 > 0:32:15such cause for concern,
0:32:15 > 0:32:19both retailers pointed out that this type of warning is standard practice
0:32:19 > 0:32:21right across the supermarket sector.
0:32:21 > 0:32:25M&S said it takes "great care and consideration" when deciding
0:32:25 > 0:32:27what information to put on its packs,
0:32:27 > 0:32:31and told us that it has no plans to change the label.
0:32:31 > 0:32:35And Waitrose told us that food safety is its "top priority",
0:32:35 > 0:32:38adding that, while space on the pack is limited,
0:32:38 > 0:32:41it's "constantly reviewing" the way information is communicated
0:32:41 > 0:32:43to customers,
0:32:43 > 0:32:47and they went on to say there are many factors to keep in mind when
0:32:47 > 0:32:52considering how to safely cook, cool and subsequently reheat food,
0:32:52 > 0:32:53all of which have to be done carefully.
0:32:58 > 0:33:00'So, to find out more about how best to do that,
0:33:00 > 0:33:02'particularly when it comes to chicken,
0:33:02 > 0:33:05'I've brought Monique to meet Dr Andreas Karatzas,
0:33:05 > 0:33:10'a specialist in food microbiology at Reading University.
0:33:10 > 0:33:13'He's been studying the effects of germs and bacteria in food
0:33:13 > 0:33:16'for more than 20 years.'
0:33:16 > 0:33:19Let's look at the bacteria that would normally be in chicken
0:33:19 > 0:33:22that we should be worried about from the raw state.
0:33:22 > 0:33:26The raw chicken, the main bacteria that you would be worried about are
0:33:26 > 0:33:28campylobacter and salmonella.
0:33:28 > 0:33:31However, this would be completely destroyed
0:33:31 > 0:33:33if you cook the chicken well,
0:33:33 > 0:33:36so normally a cooked chicken wouldn't have any salmonella
0:33:36 > 0:33:38or any campylobacter.
0:33:38 > 0:33:42However, when you cook the chicken, you don't kill all bacteria.
0:33:42 > 0:33:45So, what percentage would be killed off?
0:33:45 > 0:33:50I would say most of the bacteria would be killed, about 99.999,
0:33:50 > 0:33:53but there would be a few bacteria that are left.
0:33:53 > 0:33:57According to a previous experiment carried out by Andreas,
0:33:57 > 0:34:00reheating chicken doesn't kill those few remaining bacteria,
0:34:00 > 0:34:03and if they get a chance to multiply, they can produce toxins
0:34:03 > 0:34:05that cause vomiting and diarrhoea.
0:34:05 > 0:34:10Now, the danger zone for this growth is between 5 and 63 degrees.
0:34:10 > 0:34:12So, especially if you keep the chicken in that temperature,
0:34:12 > 0:34:14these bacteria divide very, very rapidly,
0:34:14 > 0:34:18and in a few hours they will start producing toxins.
0:34:18 > 0:34:19Whoa.
0:34:19 > 0:34:22And then, even if you kill the bacteria afterwards,
0:34:22 > 0:34:25the toxins will remain there and they will give you food poisoning.
0:34:28 > 0:34:31Well, that probably explains why the supermarkets are so quick to warn us
0:34:31 > 0:34:34off reheating altogether,
0:34:34 > 0:34:38but rest assured, there is a way to reduce that bacterial growth,
0:34:38 > 0:34:41and that's to limit the time that food spends
0:34:41 > 0:34:45between 5 and 63 degrees, especially as it cools,
0:34:45 > 0:34:49and warming food up to anything lower than 75 degrees
0:34:49 > 0:34:51is an absolute no-no.
0:34:51 > 0:34:54So, Andreas isn't saying Monique should not reheat
0:34:54 > 0:34:55her beloved chicken breasts,
0:34:55 > 0:34:58and, to give her the confidence to do it,
0:34:58 > 0:35:00he's giving her some simple tips to follow,
0:35:00 > 0:35:04to safeguard against food poisoning, by reheating some chicken.
0:35:06 > 0:35:09How long are you going to cook them for?
0:35:09 > 0:35:11- I'm going to cook them at different times...- Oh, yeah?
0:35:11 > 0:35:14..and then we're just going to see the internal temperature
0:35:14 > 0:35:16- in each one of them.- OK.- OK?
0:35:16 > 0:35:19Andreas reheats four previously-cooked chicken breasts
0:35:19 > 0:35:21in oil and a medium heat,
0:35:21 > 0:35:24and, after three minutes, takes the first one out to check whether it's
0:35:24 > 0:35:27reached the right internal temperature.
0:35:27 > 0:35:30To avoid food poisoning, it should be above 75 degrees.
0:35:32 > 0:35:36And, as you can see, the temperature is 43 degrees down here.
0:35:36 > 0:35:39- You can...- That's... That's too low.
0:35:39 > 0:35:43So, you are already... This is in the danger zone.
0:35:44 > 0:35:47It's a slightly different story at six minutes,
0:35:47 > 0:35:49but still not quite warm enough.
0:35:50 > 0:35:55We've reached 63 degrees, but it's not steaming hot inside,
0:35:55 > 0:35:58so in a few minutes the temperature will start going down,
0:35:58 > 0:36:01and then it will get below 63 degrees
0:36:01 > 0:36:03and the microorganisms can start growing.
0:36:05 > 0:36:10At nine minutes, the temperature continues to rise to 66 degrees.
0:36:10 > 0:36:11Then, a further three minutes later,
0:36:11 > 0:36:15the last chicken breast has reheated to 96 degrees -
0:36:15 > 0:36:19well within safe limits, if only doing it once.
0:36:19 > 0:36:21You only do this once, and that's it?
0:36:21 > 0:36:24Yes, exactly. You reheat it only once.
0:36:24 > 0:36:29Now, if you reheat that back, if you let it cool down...
0:36:29 > 0:36:32again, you're getting to that danger zone.
0:36:32 > 0:36:35It might be a few hours in that danger zone or a few minutes -
0:36:35 > 0:36:36the microorganisms will grow.
0:36:39 > 0:36:43All this tallies with the guidance issued by the Food Standards Agency.
0:36:43 > 0:36:47It says it's useful to think of reheating as cooking food again,
0:36:47 > 0:36:49rather than just warming it up.
0:36:49 > 0:36:53To ensure that either cooked or reheated food is safe to eat,
0:36:53 > 0:36:56we should check that it's steaming hot all the way through,
0:36:56 > 0:37:01and the FSA also recommends that you should only reheat food once.
0:37:01 > 0:37:04But, of course, chicken isn't the only food many of us
0:37:04 > 0:37:06might have concerns about reheating,
0:37:06 > 0:37:08so, to tackle some of the others,
0:37:08 > 0:37:12I've enlisted the help of cookery teacher Kumud Gandhi.
0:37:12 > 0:37:16She's promised to unlock safety and taste tips that won't just
0:37:16 > 0:37:19save you money, but reduce food waste as well,
0:37:19 > 0:37:21and that's a win-win in my book,
0:37:21 > 0:37:24and she's kicking off with advice on how to best store the food that
0:37:24 > 0:37:27you've cooked and don't want to throw away.
0:37:27 > 0:37:29Just remind me of the basic rules.
0:37:29 > 0:37:32It's really important that you don't put hot food in the fridge.
0:37:32 > 0:37:34And why is that?
0:37:34 > 0:37:37Essentially, you are increasing the temperature in the fridge,
0:37:37 > 0:37:39which means, then, you can actually raise the temperature,
0:37:39 > 0:37:42but anywhere between five and eight degrees,
0:37:42 > 0:37:45in which case, then, you are incubating germs and bacteria.
0:37:45 > 0:37:47So that's really important?
0:37:47 > 0:37:48Yes.
0:37:49 > 0:37:52'So, before even thinking about reheating,
0:37:52 > 0:37:55'it's essential you cool down the food correctly to minimise the risk
0:37:55 > 0:37:57'of those bacterial spores multiplying.
0:37:59 > 0:38:02'To make all of this a bit clearer, Kumud's going to run through
0:38:02 > 0:38:05'how to safely reheat some of the everyday foods you
0:38:05 > 0:38:09'may have left over in your fridge at home, starting with rice.'
0:38:10 > 0:38:12What's your theory about the preparation of rice
0:38:12 > 0:38:15and the subsequent re-cooking?
0:38:15 > 0:38:18It's the cooling down of the rice once it's been cooked that's
0:38:18 > 0:38:21more important to whether you can reheat it,
0:38:21 > 0:38:23and so, once you've cooked it,
0:38:23 > 0:38:26transfer it on to a non-metallic plate,
0:38:26 > 0:38:28preferably with open sides,
0:38:28 > 0:38:31so that the air can get through and cool it down quickly.
0:38:31 > 0:38:33I will place a fork in it and keep fluffing it,
0:38:33 > 0:38:35so that the air pockets are released,
0:38:35 > 0:38:38and so that it cools down, and I will spread it out on to a plate.
0:38:38 > 0:38:40Mm-hmm.
0:38:40 > 0:38:42'Rice should be cooled within an hour of cooking,
0:38:42 > 0:38:46'then covered and chilled in the fridge and used within a day.
0:38:46 > 0:38:50'To reheat, put the rice into a bowl that you can put into the microwave.
0:38:50 > 0:38:53'with a few drops of water. and heat it until it's steaming,
0:38:53 > 0:38:55'stirring it halfway through.
0:38:55 > 0:38:57'It can also be reheated in the oven,
0:38:57 > 0:38:59'again with a little bit of water,
0:38:59 > 0:39:01'but, whatever your method,
0:39:01 > 0:39:04'the key is that it must be absolutely steaming hot,
0:39:04 > 0:39:08'and as with the chicken, the advice is to reheat it only once.'
0:39:12 > 0:39:14Next, it's ready meals,
0:39:14 > 0:39:16which have generally already been cooked once
0:39:16 > 0:39:17before they're packaged up,
0:39:17 > 0:39:21so we're effectively reheating them the first time we put them into the
0:39:21 > 0:39:23microwave or oven,
0:39:23 > 0:39:27and there are so many variables with the contents of instant meals
0:39:27 > 0:39:31that it's impossible to create one-size-fits-all advice,
0:39:31 > 0:39:34so, in this case, it's safest to follow the instructions on the pack
0:39:34 > 0:39:38and if the label says not to reheat, then don't do it.
0:39:38 > 0:39:41But there is another dish on the menu that, with the right treatment,
0:39:41 > 0:39:43could save you on wastage -
0:39:43 > 0:39:44a leftover takeaway.
0:39:46 > 0:39:49Now, this is sweet-and-sour, so what's your advice about this?
0:39:49 > 0:39:52If you're reheating from a takeaway,
0:39:52 > 0:39:56then you would want to heat it up thoroughly,
0:39:56 > 0:40:00and that can be difficult with something like a sweet-and-sour,
0:40:00 > 0:40:04because in order to get the heat all the way through to the centre
0:40:04 > 0:40:08of the chicken, it's going to compromise the rest of the texture.
0:40:08 > 0:40:09And how do you do that?
0:40:09 > 0:40:11So, you would put it in a saucepan,
0:40:11 > 0:40:13and heat it in a saucepan with a lid.
0:40:13 > 0:40:14And would that work?
0:40:14 > 0:40:17That would work, but you would need to make some adjustments to it.
0:40:17 > 0:40:20Yeah, cos you're going to lose a lot of the sauce if you do that,
0:40:20 > 0:40:21- aren't you?- Correct. Indeed.
0:40:21 > 0:40:24And especially because this is a sweet-and-sour dish,
0:40:24 > 0:40:28so the sugar will begin to caramelise and will burn quickly.
0:40:30 > 0:40:34Now, to avoid that and help get the dish back up to a safe temperature,
0:40:34 > 0:40:37Kumud adds water to the sauce, before cooking with the lid on,
0:40:37 > 0:40:39until it's piping hot throughout.
0:40:39 > 0:40:43You can check that it's reached 75 degrees with a probe thermometer.
0:40:43 > 0:40:46You should only do this with leftover dishes
0:40:46 > 0:40:50that have been cooled quickly, and then eat them within two days.
0:40:50 > 0:40:53As for the other leftover we took to the street earlier,
0:40:53 > 0:40:57Kumud would apply the same key principles to reheating fish.
0:40:57 > 0:40:59She'd only do it, though, once,
0:40:59 > 0:41:03until it was piping hot and steaming throughout,
0:41:03 > 0:41:06and she'd do it in the oven, with the fish wrapped in foil
0:41:06 > 0:41:09or covered in the microwave with a few drops of water.
0:41:09 > 0:41:11So, provided you do it right,
0:41:11 > 0:41:14it's reassuring to know that chicken, rice,
0:41:14 > 0:41:19fish and takeaways can be reheated carefully after all,
0:41:19 > 0:41:22even if the packaging suggests otherwise,
0:41:22 > 0:41:25and if in doubt, the key messages that I'll certainly be taking
0:41:25 > 0:41:29from this are that you should usually only reheat something once,
0:41:29 > 0:41:32and make sure that the food itself is a temperature of
0:41:32 > 0:41:3675 degrees Celsius, outside the danger zone.
0:41:36 > 0:41:38That's advice that Monique will be following as well,
0:41:38 > 0:41:40and she's thrilled that she won't have to abandon
0:41:40 > 0:41:43the reheating habits of a lifetime.
0:41:43 > 0:41:44I have always done it.
0:41:44 > 0:41:47My grandparents used to do it,
0:41:47 > 0:41:50my parents did it,
0:41:50 > 0:41:52and I follow on.
0:41:52 > 0:41:56There is no reason why we can't reheat food at all.
0:42:02 > 0:42:04Well, I'm afraid that's almost it from us for today,
0:42:04 > 0:42:07but I do have to say, no matter how many times we look at
0:42:07 > 0:42:10labels on packaging on this programme,
0:42:10 > 0:42:12there's always something new to reveal,
0:42:12 > 0:42:14and thankfully new tips to pick up as well.
0:42:14 > 0:42:18You know, I think I might even learn to love my leftovers from now on.
0:42:18 > 0:42:20Well, maybe!
0:42:20 > 0:42:22- I think the jury's out. - It depends on the state of it.
0:42:22 > 0:42:25And I'll be hoping that the food I buy which says it's from a farm
0:42:25 > 0:42:27is in fact from a real one,
0:42:27 > 0:42:30and certainly not that dodgy-sounding Somerville Farm.
0:42:30 > 0:42:31Mind you...
0:42:31 > 0:42:33No. No, probably better not.
0:42:33 > 0:42:34No, in all seriousness,
0:42:34 > 0:42:37if you do care, as we all should, where your food comes from,
0:42:37 > 0:42:40it really is worth spending that extra few seconds
0:42:40 > 0:42:43taking a closer look at the food label to find out
0:42:43 > 0:42:46if what you're buying is what you think it seems to be.
0:42:46 > 0:42:49And remember, if you've battled with packaging,
0:42:49 > 0:42:51or you've been bamboozled by cooking instructions,
0:42:51 > 0:42:53do get in touch with our team.
0:42:53 > 0:42:57They're very keen to hear about any of your consumer experiences,
0:42:57 > 0:42:58not just about food,
0:42:58 > 0:43:01because they look into which ones we should investigate on the various
0:43:01 > 0:43:04programmes we're making in future months.
0:43:04 > 0:43:06But, for now, may I thank you very much indeed for your company,
0:43:06 > 0:43:08and from all of us on the team, bye-bye.
0:43:08 > 0:43:09- Bye-bye.- Goodbye.