Bob Pastorio wrote:

> I can't see any bacteriological reason to do this. I can't see any "air"
> reason to do this. If the container is closed tightly enough to not leak,
> getting contents to rest against the inside of that doesn't give a *more
> closed* closure.

The only *possible* rationale that I could come up with -- and I'm not
claiming it's valid -- is that when you open a container of some semi-solid
product, environmental pathogens are introduced to the exposed surface of
the product. When you put the lid back on and turn it upside down, those
pathogens (or most of them, anyway) are no longer exposed to the air inside
the container. If they're aerobic, their growth will be slowed, at least.
But of course there are plenty of nasty anaerobic bugs (botulism, for one),
the whole argument completely falls apart if you're talking about something
with low viscosity, and even if the product *is* semi-solid, there will
still be bubbles containing air and those pathogens. Besides, as you
mentioned, unless the package has been specially treated (e.g. UHT milk)
there are already pathogens in the product.


> That site is twaddle of many a purest ray serene.

Well, thank goodness for THAT! The last thing we need around here is
contaminated twaddle! :-)

Bob