Canning & Preserving For Dummies
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Whether you can food yourself or buy it canned, canned food has the potential to spoil. To avoid making yourself sick with canned foods that have spoiled, watch out for these signs of a spoiled product:

  • A bulging can or lid, or a broken seal

  • A can or lid that shows signs of corrosion

  • Food that has oozed or seeped under the jar’s lid

  • Gassiness, indicated by tiny bubbles moving upward in the jar (or bubbles visible when you open the can)

  • Food that looks mushy, moldy, or cloudy

  • Food that gives off an unpleasant or disagreeable odor when you open the jar

  • Spurting liquid from the can or jar when you open it

Botulism poisoning can be fatal. Because botulism spores have no odor and can’t be seen, you can’t always tell which jars are tainted. If you suspect that a jar or can of food is spoiled, never, never, never taste it. Dispose of the food responsibly.

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