Canned Food Safety

When we look for food safety information, going to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) for verification is a great source. The USDA suggests the following steps to determine if a dented can is safe or dangerous:

• Keep and use: A can with a small dent that is in good shape otherwise, and has no denting at the seam of the can.

• Discard: If the dent is in the seam of the can, that means that air and moisture may have a more direct path.

• Discard: Deeply dented cans. If you can lay your finger in the dent, that’s too deep. It’s better to be safe and discard or return the can.

• Discard: If the dent has sharp edges, again — most likely not safe and may mean the can is compromised with bacteria.

While a dent may come in any shape or form, there are obvious signs that a can has become unsafe. Look for the following signs on the exterior of the can:

• Bulging or swollen

• Leaking liquid or other contents

• Obvious damage or cracks

After opening the can, watch for other dangerous signs like:

• Spurting foam or liquid when opened like pressure is being released

• Discolored food

• Food that looks abnormal

• Discolored or abnormally-colored liquid surrounding the food

• Mold

• Bad odors

Despite being a dangerous foodborne toxin, Botulism can be destroyed with heat. Heating food to a typical cooking temperature of 176 degrees F (80 degrees C) for 30 minutes or 212 degrees F (100 degrees C) for 10 minutes before consumption can greatly reduce the risk of foodborne illness. However, it’s not good to rely on heat to kill off botulism toxins. If you have a deeply-dented or bulging can, it is still best to not consume the food. As the old adage goes, “when in doubt, throw it out.”