Is it safe to eat from dented cans?
A slightly dented can which is otherwise in good shape can be eaten from. Very deeply dented cans can have sharp points and should be avoided as they can cut you.
While there are many food-can can myths that you may fall for, and scuffs in the can are not unusual, it is important to understand the difference between a safe-to-eat can and a can you need to toss out. There is no question that canned foods are convenient and cheap, but there are risks associated with eating them, too. It is true that eating canned foods from an over-inflated or severely dented can is probably unsafe and may lead to health problems. Yet, even when I find a dingy tin can in my shopping bag, I often recoil at the thought of throwing away what might have been perfectly fine food.
If the can holding your food has a slight dent, but is otherwise good condition, then it should be safe to eat. If the dent is not too deep, and does not impact the structural integrity of the can, then the can is safe to eat.
Specifically, if a dent occurs in a can, along with one of the sides of the can, then the can is generally safe to eat, provided that all other issues listed above are addressed. Well, if the can is dented along with the sides, it is probably safe to eat, provided you have checked out the other issues listed here.
A slight ding should not let air in the can, but if there is a large enough dent in the seams of the can that it lets air in, then it is possible for food to spoil. A sharp dent in either the top or the side seams could cause the seams to break down, and it could let bacteria enter the can. If the can has a big depression on either the top or side seam, it is possible that the seam will tear, allowing bacteria to get into the can. Therefore, it is recommended to toss the can if there is damage to the seam, in order to keep your health safe from further damage.
| Is it safe to eat foods from dented cans? | What to look at before buying canned foods? |
| Eating canned foods from a dented can is probably unsafe and may lead to health problems. | Before buying the can, check whether if it has a broken seal or not. |
| Well, if the dent in the can is large enough to let air gets in, then it is generally not safe to eat. | Also look for any dents on the can or some serious bents, if found any then discard the can immediately. |
Not only may denting on a metal seam rip apart the metal of a dented can and expose food inside to external pathogens, deep dents are also a cause for concern. Cans with dents along their edges may result in food poisoning, a form of food poisoning that attacks the nervous system.
While it is extremely rare, some dented tins can lead to a fatal form of food poisoning (botulism), which attacks the nervous system. Although smashed cans are very rare, according to USDA, they can lead to botulism, a form of food poisoning that can be fatal as it attacks the nervous system and the brain. Because foods that were placed into broken or otherwise damaged cans can contain Clostridium botulinum, a bacterium linked to botulism. Contaminated food from tattered cans or other improperly stored or prepared foods is not the only potential source of the bacteria; you may also be susceptible to botulism from bacterial wound contamination.
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There is a risk for botulism by Clostridium botulinum bacteria from canning certain kinds of low-acid foods, such as green beans and corn, so pay particular attention to a can that has been dented to contain certain kinds of low-acid foods. When it comes to food safety, avoiding dented cans is one of the most important tips, so remember that next time you are in the grocery store. Avoiding dented cans is also one of the things that food safety experts do to help prevent food poisoning, meaning that this is something to think about next time you are shopping for your meals.
Many times customers, for good reason, will avoid cans that are dented, which is why stores might be happy to take them off their hands. Salvage stores, also called discount or clearance food stores, will usually have a small number (or large number) of slightly dented cans for sale for less. Because jars with just small dents could pose food safety problems, grocers pull them off shelves, said Greg Ferrara, executive vice president of the National Grocers Association.
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When shopping for yourself or your pets, you might notice jars with damage on shelves. We receive many questions from our customers who receive damaged tins, wondering whether or not the food is still safe to eat. Pet food can be difficult to inspect at times because meat products are usually kind of smelly to a human nose (but they do smell good to your pets).
It really depends on how bad the dent is, according to Suki Herz, associate professor of nutrition and food safety at The Culinary Institute of America. When it comes to canning with dent, size and placement of dent matters the most, says Toby Amidor, M.S., R.D., dietitian, expert in food safety, and cookbook author.
While cans of all kinds are prone to dent and damage, it does not matter what kind of food is in them from a safety standpoint–it is just that the dent itself is a factor. According to USDAs Food Safety and Inspection Service, if there is a slight dent on the can but the contents seem otherwise safe, then the contents should be safe to eat. Generally, if the can does not produce any noise or movement when you press the top or bottom, it is safe to eat (the seal is still good).
The can should be discarded or returned to the store, because it was probably produced in an unsterile environment and is unsafe to eat. I would likely throw out the can, not for any food safety concerns, but because it might have a foul flavor. There are five major cautionary signs that you should take into account when you are making a decision about whether or not to save a can.
Cans that are dented or damaged to the extent of having a serious bent, cracked, or even broken seal should never be consumed. The contents should never spray when a cans seal is first breached by the use of a can opener or when pulling the tab.
The same issue can happen when home canning, which allows just enough pressure to build to rupture the seal on the lid – and occasionally causes the lid to break loose. The big dents usually reach to the inside of the can — where we cannot see it — causing tiny breaks in the seal, which allows bacteria to get into the can and contaminate food. The USDA reports that deep dents — particularly those that produce sharp edges or furrows in metal — could break up a cans seams, allowing bacteria inside. Save money by knowing how to tell a ding-safe canned food from a dented, or otherwise unsafe, can.
What happens if you eat from a dented can?
The best thing to do is not to risk your health in exchange for a can that is dented, rusted, bulging, or leaking because the food inside the can is not worth the minimal cost. The bacteria that cause spoilage can make you ill, and the bacteria that cause botulism can kill you. Most of the time, it is hard to diagnose what causes botulism, but it is most likely caused by a bacterium called Clostridium botulinum (C.
Why shouldn’t you use dented cans?
Dented cans are rare, but they can cause botulism, a deadly food poisoning that attacks the nervous system. A leak or bulging can also indicate a compromised can of food. Symptoms include double vision, droopy eyelids, difficulty swallowing, difficulty breathing, and double vision.
Can bacteria grow in dented cans?
Because dents typically do not result in holes, the risk is relatively low. Dented cans don’t necessarily need to be thrown away, but their contents should be boiled to kill any microorganisms and eliminate any poison that the Clostridium botulinum bacterium might have created.