Never Buy Canned Food If You Notice This

Reviewed by Dietitian Jessica Ball, M.S., RD

Key Points

• Avoid dented cans to prevent potential contamination and harmful bacteria like Clostridium botulinum.

• Dents near seams or large enough to fit a fingertip are more likely to compromise food safety.

• Opt for canned goods with no added salt or sugar for a healthier pantry staple.

Canned goods are the pinnacle of pantry staples. Budget-friendly, shelf-stable and versatile, canned food is a great thing to have on hand. Plus, there are so many options to choose from. Canned beans, veggies, fruit and even fish are just some of the products you’ll probably stumble across during a trip to your local grocery store.

But, aside from picking out your canned goods based on variety, price or size, there’s one more thing you should keep an eye out for: dents. Cans go through a lot before they make their way into your home, and sometimes that may cause dings or dents on the metal of the can.

We asked a food-safety expert to give us a better understanding of why we should avoid canned food that has dents, and what we can do to make sure the food we’re eating or serving is safe.

Why You Should Avoid Dented Cans

There are some key reasons as to why eating the food inside a dented can could be potentially harmful to your health. “Dented cans should be avoided because the metal has been compromised,” says Stephanie Smith, a consumer food specialist and an associate professor in the School of Food Science at Washington State University. “This can allow harmful substances or bacteria to come into contact with the food. Bacteria can grow quickly in the food, and some may even produce deadly toxins.”

While any dent on a canned good is reason for concern, dents in especially vulnerable places like the seam can be especially harmful to the contents inside.

“Very small dents on the edges away from seams are unlikely to compromise the can enough to expose the food,” says Smith. But, she warns, “Dents that create sharp edges, are large enough to fit your fingertip, or occur on the side, top or bottom seams of the can are more likely to compromise the can’s integrity and expose the food to the environment.”

While it can be fairly obvious from the outside that a metal can has been damaged, it’s usually not as easy to identify if the food inside has been contaminated with bacteria. Some cans can swell or leak—both good indications that the food may have spoiled—but sometimes there is no noticeable scent, taste or appearance to indicate any change.

“Canned foods can still contain pathogens and toxins without showing any signs of contamination or spoilage,” says Smith. But how does that happen? Bacteria that may potentially cause foodborne illnesses can infiltrate the can and morph into harmful toxins, Smith says. Even if there is a microscopic hole in the can, mold or bacteria in the air is able to infiltrate the container.

“Once the spores come into contact with the food, they will begin to grow and sometimes produce deadly toxins,” says Smith. “One such microorganism is Clostridium botulinum, the bacterium that produces the toxin that causes botulism.”

Of course, not every can with a dent or hole will have botulism or other life-threatening bacteria, but it’s always better to be safe than sorry when it comes to shopping for canned goods.

Other Tips for Choosing Healthy Canned Foods

Avoiding dented cans is important in terms of food safety, but there are plenty of ways to prioritize healthy and nutritious canned goods, too.

Check the Sodium

Canned foods are sometimes high in sodium to help improve the taste and texture of the product. To help reduce your intake of sodium when enjoying canned products, drain or rinse the item before eating or look for no-salt-added or reduced-sodium products. The extra salt is often found in the sauce or liquid certain foods are packed in.

Skip the Syrup

Canned fruit or fruit cocktail is a classic canned item, but which variety you choose can make a big difference in its nutritional value. A typical serving of fruit cocktail packed in “heavy syrup”—a thick syrup made of sugar and corn syrup—has over 44 grams of total sugar. The same product packed in water has just 18 grams of total sugar per serving, the majority of which comes from the naturally occurring sugars found in fruit. Drain the syrup first or look for canned fruit with no added sugar to help keep your intake in check.

Read the Ingredients

It’s a common misconception that canned foods need extra salt or other preservatives to maintain their freshness. However, as long as the canned goods go through thermal processing and are sealed correctly, no additional ingredients are needed to keep the food shelf-stable. Check the ingredients of your canned food before you buy to help you better understand the product.

Our Expert Take

Canned goods are great options when it comes to convenience, cost and nutritional value—but it’s always a good idea to pay attention to the state of the can before you buy it. Dented cans can result in a broken seal and possible contamination of the food inside, a scenario that can potentially result in life-threatening illness. You can continue to enjoy all of the great things canned food has to offer, but it’s a good idea to always pass on a can on a shelf with noticeable dings or dents.

Read the original article on EatingWell