Which side of the foil should you use?
Aluminum foil is a useful kitchen product when it comes to heating, storing and freezing food. Potatoes can be roasted in it, fish can be cooked in it, and leftover food can be frozen in it. Of course, the main thing to avoid is using it to cover food in the microwave: electromagnetic currents can cause the foil to spark and potentially cause a fire. Having said that, aluminum foil is great for wrapping meat and/or vegetables before grilling or baking - the foil will isolate the moisture from the contents while cooking. It also protects the outside of fragile ingredients from open flames and prevents them from breaking down and falling off on the grill. It can be used for home barbecues and even outdoor trips as well as traditional ovens.
Another major use of aluminum foil is packaging of prepared or already cooked foods such as sandwiches, burgers, and burritos. It holds and preserves food just as well as paper or soft plastic, and it can also be recycled when no food remains, making it a more environmentally friendly alternative, especially to soft plastics. Restaurants often use aluminum foil to wrap customers' leftovers, although this often looks less appealing than using paper takeout containers.
But are these processes hindered or improved by contact of food with the light or dark side of aluminum foil?
In short, science shows it makes no difference, and there's no right or wrong way to use aluminum foil, whether you're cooking or freezing food in aluminum foil, you can put it either side facing either way.
It's a good idea to place your food on either side, so you can decide if you like the shiny side out or the dark side out. " This is simply a result of the manufacturing process. The performance of the foil is the same no matter which side you use.
Why do aluminum foils have glossy and matte sides?
The shiny side is created when two sheets are rolled simultaneously (doubling the thickness of the roll) and then separated, meaning the two inner surfaces remain matte, while the two outer surfaces remain glossy.
However, when using nonstick foil, there is a difference between the two sides because the nonstick coating is only on one side. In this case, place the food on the side marked "non-stick."
