Rust on baking pans?

[pengyou]

I have a few pans - mostly used to make cupcakes - that have rust on them. It is not a surface rust, i.e. will not wash off. Should I toss the pans? Or is it ok to keep using them? I am not sure what the pans are made of.

 

[thePanMan]

I suspect your baking pans are tin and the rust is oxidisation caused by exposure to the air while still wet. Try getting the rust off with a brillo pad, then wash well and dry them thoroughly. I dont think the rust will harm you anyway. I went camping years ago and we had one steel paella pan for everything and we had rust with everything we ate for two weeks, sort of a condiment that came free of charge. You can wipe them with oil to prevent rust coming back but getting them dry is the key.

 

[Andy M.]

The rust isn't a major issue. It's usually around the edges of the cups and has little contact with the food. Try to scrub it off and dry the pans in a warm oven right away so residual moisture doesn't make more rust.

Keep using the pans.