Eight year old canned pears - swelled can - HyTop brand

[The Heretic]

Just noticed a large can of pears had a swelled top. Opened it up and threw out the contents (which didn't look very good, but noticed nothing else - no mold or anything). Noticed a ring around the top of the can (not the lid) that looked kind of like galvanizing, but maybe not - the rest of the inside was lined. Maybe they didn't 'cook' it long enough (generally, fruit and veggies are put into a steam pressure vessel for a length of time to prevent botulism/etc.).

I usually try to buy name brand, although I know from personal experience (working in canneries when I was young), a lot of the name brand (e.g., Dole, Del Monte, etc.) veggies and fruits are canned on the same production line as off-brands - they just put different labels on them.

The can was dated best by 2013, so it is about 8 years old (canned sometime in 2012).

First time I have ever seen a swelled can of food.

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[Stomper]

Just noticed a large can of pears had a swelled top. Opened it up and threw out the contents (which didn't look very good, but noticed nothing else - no mold or anything). Noticed a ring around the top of the can (not the lid) that looked kind of like galvanizing, but maybe not - the rest of the inside was lined. Maybe they didn't 'cook' it long enough (generally, fruit and veggies are put into a steam pressure vessel for a length of time to prevent botulism/etc.).

I usually try to buy name brand, although I know from personal experience (working in canneries when I was young), a lot of the name brand (e.g., Dole, Del Monte, etc.) veggies and fruits are canned on the same production line as off-brands - they just put different labels on them.

The can was dated best by 2013, so it is about 8 years old (canned sometime in 2012).

First time I have ever seen a swelled can of food.

I threw out a swelled can of SPAM last year, opened another and it was just fine (for SPAM... LOL). Bought the stuff back in '08.

 

[Alexx1401]

I threw out a swelled can of SPAM last year, opened another and it was just fine (for SPAM... LOL). Bought the stuff back in '08.

The way that stuff tastes I am not sure I would know it was bad, if it was bad

 

[deadeye]

Just noticed a large can of pears had a swelled top. Opened it up and threw out the contents (which didn't look very good, but noticed nothing else - no mold or anything). Noticed a ring around the top of the can (not the lid) that looked kind of like galvanizing, but maybe not - the rest of the inside was lined. Maybe they didn't 'cook' it long enough (generally, fruit and veggies are put into a steam pressure vessel for a length of time to prevent botulism/etc.).

I usually try to buy name brand, although I know from personal experience (working in canneries when I was young), a lot of the name brand (e.g., Dole, Del Monte, etc.) veggies and fruits are canned on the same production line as off-brands - they just put different labels on them.

The can was dated best by 2013, so it is about 8 years old (canned sometime in 2012).

First time I have ever seen a swelled can of food.

Ever seen the movie Holes? You might have had a real money maker there.........

Most likely the acid in the product ate into the lining and tin (hence the galvanize look)creating a micro hole for air to start the breakdown creating the bulged top. It's when they finally pop that it gets interesting.

 

[Helocat]

Just noticed a large can of pears had a swelled top. Opened it up and threw out the contents (which didn't look very good, but noticed nothing else - no mold or anything). Noticed a ring around the top of the can (not the lid) that looked kind of like galvanizing, but maybe not - the rest of the inside was lined. Maybe they didn't 'cook' it long enough (generally, fruit and veggies are put into a steam pressure vessel for a length of time to prevent botulism/etc.).

I usually try to buy name brand, although I know from personal experience (working in canneries when I was young), a lot of the name brand (e.g., Dole, Del Monte, etc.) veggies and fruits are canned on the same production line as off-brands - they just put different labels on them.

The can was dated best by 2013, so it is about 8 years old (canned sometime in 2012).

First time I have ever seen a swelled can of food.

Swelled cans are prime reactive outdoor high power rifle targets.

I threw out a swelled can of SPAM last year, opened another and it was just fine (for SPAM... LOL). Bought the stuff back in '08.

I thought SPAM naturally killed all bad organisms .

I actually like the stuff fried. Fried spam sandwich is fancy vittles camping for me.

 

[03A3Sporter]

I've got some 40 year old MRE's .... yes I tried one a year ago it was mostly edible.

 

[P7M13]

Brings to mind exploding beer cans from Tallgrass Brewing.

I thought SPAM naturally killed all organisms .

Fixed it.

 

[XoXSciFiGuy]

Yeah...don't eat cans that have turned (swollen up) like that. Might be nothing, but it is a classic sign of possible botulism. Even if botulism doesn't actually kill you , chances are you will be paralyzed and on a ventilator for weeks. Ten percent of victims die. From an internet reference on botulism:

How can you tell if canned food has botulism?
the container is leaking, bulging, or swollen;
the container looks damaged, cracked, or abnormal;
the container spurts liquid or foam when opened;
the food is discolored, moldy, or smells bad.

 

[Brutus57]

My wife has a master food preservationist certificate from a large eastern WA university. If it is swollen, toss it. We have eaten 3 yearly home canned potatoes and 7 year old fruit preserves. she can jerk, salt, smoke, water bath, pressure can any number of things, make sauerkraut, pickle, etc. But our rule is: If we hear a pop in our pantry we find the offending jar and out goes it's contents. Not worth taking the chance.

Brutus Out

 

[Mike_M57]

I was given a couple of cases of home-canned jars of fruit by a family member once. Not sure who did the canning, but they'd been in storage for an unknown number of years. The contents looked perfectly normal through the glass, but I opened a couple and they instantly spewed out smelly foam.

Tossed all the rest without opening. Wasn't worth the risk.

 

[Martini_Up]

Prevention | Botulism | CDC

Foodborne botulism can be caused from home-canned foods. When home canning low-acid foods, always follow canning directions. Do not give honey to children younger than 12 months.

www.cdc.gov