A doctor has issued a warning about three signs of damage to canned food that indicate it should be thrown away. Canned food is a staple in households across the UK, with canned meat, fish, soups and vegetables appearing on many people’s shopping lists every week.
Cans of food last much longer than fresh ingredients, and often require little or no preparation thanks to being pre-cooked. Buying canned food also helps reduce food waste, as the long shelf life means you only need cook what you want when you want.
Plus, recycling metal cans means less packaging ending up in landfill sites. Not all cans of food are safe to eat, however, with Doctor Karan Raj highlighting three defects that could be dangerous.
Posting to TikTok under the handle @dr.karanr, he revealed what you need to look out for. He said: “Look for dents on the side seam. These are usually covered by the label so make sure you peel it off to inspect it carefully. If you see this, throw the can away because it’s likely compromised.”
He then showed a picture of a can with a side dent covering a large surface area, and added: “But it doesn’t involve the side seam and it doesn’t cause a sharp pointy edge so it’s okay to use.”
Doctor Karan went on to show another common type of dent, this time one that has caused a sharp pointed edge. He said that because this suggests there could be a small hole, the can could be compromised and you should “throw it away”.
Showing another image, he said: “This dent involves the seam of the can, this time at the top. Also unsafe.
“And if there’s a small dent which doesn’t encroach [on] the seam, it’s safe to use. If a dent is actually deep enough so you can actually lay a finger onto it, that sounds safe.
“And if a can looks like it’s been crushed, throw it away. And also bin it if it looks like it’s about to explode.”
He added: “Not every single damaged or dented can needs to be thrown away. But if you find yourself with a dented can and you’re unsure, if in doubt throw it out.”
This is because holes can allow bacteria and oxygen to enter the can, leading to the growth of dangerous microbes.