HOME

'Signs of spoilage and what to do

Before a container is opened, you can see signs of spoilage that indicate the food is unfit or actually dangerous to eat:

• Seeping seams, bulging ends on cans.
  
• Seepage around the seal, even though it seems firmly seated.
  
• Mold around the seal or visible in the contents.
  
• Gassiness (small bubbles) in the contents.
  
• Cloudy or yeasty liquid.
  
• Shriveled or spongy-looking food.
  
• Food an unnatural color (often very dark)

When the container is opened, these are additional signs of spoilage:

• Spurting liquid, perssure from inside as the container is opened.
• Fermentation (gassiness).
  
• Food slimy, or with too soft a texture.
  
• Musty or disagreeable or downright nasty odor.
  
• Mold, even a fleck, on the underside of the lid or in the contents.
  
  If any such signs are evident in unopened or opened containers DESTROY THE CONTENTS SO THEY CANNOT BE EATEN BY PEOPLE OR ANIMALS. Burn the food if you can. Otherwise put food and containers and closures in a large enameled kettle, pour in water to cover by several inches, and add 1/4 cup of strong detergent and an effective household disinfectant according to directions on the label for sterilizing (do not ust bleach here, because of its vapor when hot). Bring the kettle to boiling, and boil hard for 20 minutes. Fish out the containers and closures, flush everything else down the toilet. Discard the sterilized metal cans and closures, and all sealers. Sterilized jars and glass lids may be used again if they are perfect and undamaged. In a solution make in the proportion of 1 part household chlorinne bleach to each 4 parts water, wash all utensils, cloths and surfaces that might have come in contact with the spoiled food.
  A further precaution deals with canned food that has no obvious signs of spoilage either before or after it is opened, and this is: NEVER taste canned food without boiling it first for 15-20 minutes for greens, corn, meats, poultry and seafood. If it has a bad smell or foams unduly during boiling, destroy it so it cannot be eaten by people or animals, and treat the containers as described above.'