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Doctor reveals which dented food cans must be binned and the ones that are safe to eat
Did you know that eating food from a dented can could make you really unwell? Tins get dropped and damaged all the time which can compromise the food – but not all dents are the same.
The food is still safe to eat with some dents, while others mean the whole can must be chucked away, but how do you know whether to bin it? A doctor has shared everything you need to know.
Doctor reveals which dented food cans are safe
Speaking on TikTok, Dr Karan Rajan explained that the main thing you need to look for is dents in the side seam of the can. Peel away the label to reveal a black line going down the side of the can. If that’s dented, the tin needs to be binned.
Another thing you must be aware of is any deep dent that creates a sharp, pointed edge. The sharpness can create small holes that compromise the food, so the tin needs to be thrown away immediately.
A can will also need to be put in the bin if there is a rupture to the top or bottom seam, where the lid or base of the can attaches to the cylinder. Any tin that looks crushed or like it’s about to explode also should be binned straight away.
Any other dents that don’t have a pointy edge and aren’t covering the side, top or bottom seams are safe to eat. Even if the dent is really big and covers the entire side of the can, it doesn’t need to be chucked as long as there are no holes.
Put simply, the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) says: “If a can containing food has a small dent, but is otherwise in good shape, the food should be safe to eat.”
They say to “discard deeply dented cans” and ones with a “deep dent on any seam”. Deep dents are ones you can lay your finger into and often have sharp points.
Food from dented cans can make you unwell
Not following this advice can cause you to become seriously unwell. Canned food is sealed and then heated to a really high temperature to kill any harmful organisms that can spoil the food and give you food poisoning.
However, when a can is dented, this can create small holes which allow air and moisture to get into the food. This air and moisture can carry harmful bacteria which will make you extremely ill if consumed.
The main risk is botulism, a�rare but serious illness caused by a toxin made by Clostridium botulinum bacteria. It attacks the body’s nerves and causes difficulty breathing, muscle paralysis, and even death, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention�(CDC) explains.
Foods that have been improperly canned, preserved, or fermented are one of the main risks of botulism, which is why the advice on dented tins should be taken seriously. If you’re unsure whether a dent is safe, it’s always best to throw it away.
Dr Karan Rajan is an NHS surgeon who shares his health expertise with more than 5.3 million followers on TikTok and is also a Clinical Lecturer at Imperial College London and the University of Sunderland.
