What are the common misunderstandings about when to use cling film and when to use aluminium foil?
This answer is a draft. It stays unpublished until legal review and source verification are complete.
Cling film (called "wrap", ラップ, in Japan) and aluminium foil are in every kitchen in the world, yet people hesitate over "can this go in the microwave?" and "which do I wrap it in?" Japanese cling film comes in two material families, and the answer depends on reading the label.
Comparison
| Item | PVDC cling film | PE cling film | Aluminium foil |
|---|---|---|---|
| Heat tolerance | About 140°C | About 110°C | Takes high heat (not for the microwave) |
| Cold tolerance | About −60°C | About −70°C | Freezer-safe |
| Cling and barrier | High (blocks smells and oxygen well) | Lower | Blocks light and oxygen |
| Microwave | Yes (some makers advise keeping it off direct contact with the food) | Yes (may melt on oily foods) | No (sparks, fire) |
| Best for | Fridge and freezer storage, blocking smell transfer | Temporary covering, low cost | Oven and grill, as a drop-lid (otoshibuta), foil-wrapped baking |
- Cling film falls under the positive-list system of the Food Sanitation Act, and carries labels for heat tolerance, cold tolerance and precautions for microwave use.
- In the microwave, oily foods (fried food, curry) can exceed 140°C. Even with PVDC film, the makers' advice is to drape it loosely without touching the food.
[Verify] Heat tolerances are guide figures based on the labels of major products. Check the microwave precautions with each maker and with Consumer Affairs Agency material.
Misunderstanding 1｜Aluminium foil can be used to reheat food in the microwave
Metal reflects microwaves and causes sparks and fire. Foil is for the oven function. In an oven toaster, place it where it does not touch the heating element.
Misunderstanding 2｜It is fine for cling film to touch the food while it heats
PE film can melt at around 110°C, and even PVDC film gets hot on the surface of oily foods. The rule is drape it loosely over the dish and leave a gap above the food.
Misunderstanding 3｜Sour or salty foods can be wrapped in aluminium foil
Umeboshi (pickled plums), pickles, tomatoes, lemons and miso corrode aluminium, causing holes and black marks. Wrap in cling film first, then foil — or use a container.
Misunderstanding 4｜Using up cling film is bad for the environment, so avoid it
The main job of cling film is to cut food waste by preventing drying, oxidation and smell transfer. More people are combining it with reusable lidded containers, silicone lids and beeswax wraps, choosing whichever fits.
Misunderstanding 5｜The cutter on the box is paper, so it is safe
A paper cutter can still cut you. Keep the box out of children's reach. PVDC film gives off chlorine-based gas when burned, so follow your municipality's sorting rules when disposing of it (usually "burnable waste" or "plastics").
---
Sources
- Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, "Positive-list system for food utensils and containers/packaging" [食品用器具・容器包装のポジティブリスト制度]
https://www.mhlw.go.jp/stf/seisakunitsuite/bunya/kenkou_iryou/shokuhin/kigu/index_00001.html
- Consumer Affairs Agency, "Safe use of microwave ovens" [電子レンジの安全な使い方] (consumer alert)
https://www.caa.go.jp/policies/policy/consumer_safety/caution/
- Japan Polyolefin Film Industry Association [日本ポリオレフィンフィルム工業組合] / individual makers, "Cling film Q&A" [ラップの使い方Q&A]
https://www.jpfa.gr.jp/
⚠️ Editorial note: the source URLs above were identified by search. Our working environment cannot reach go.jp domains, so the contents have not been checked against the text. Verify every source before publication and record who checked it and when.
About this article
What we share here are ideas and everyday practices passed down among people living in Japan, together with general information drawn from public sources. They are not official recommendations, and they are not professional instruction. Practices vary between households and regions.
This is general information. Results vary from person to person and depend on your own conditions and surroundings.
Please decide for yourself, using your own judgement, whether any of this suits your situation. We cannot accept responsibility for any damage, loss or injury arising from following this article.
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