A neurologist is urging shoppers to pay close attention to one danger sign on canned food, warning that even a tiny exposure could lead to severe illness.
Food safety advice usually focuses on nutrition, ingredients or spoilage, but this warning is about something far more serious. According to Dr Baibing Chen, people should never take chances with cans that appear badly damaged or altered.
He said cans that are swollen, split or deeply dented may signal the presence of a dangerous toxin linked to botulism.
“If a can is bulging, cracked or severely dented, that’s a red flag for botulinum contamination,” he said, speaking with the Daily Express.
“This bacteria produces botulinum toxin, which is one of the most potent toxins that we know. And just a small amount can block acetylcholine release at the neuromuscular junction, meaning your brain can’t tell your muscles to move.”
Dr Chen explained that suspected exposure should be treated quickly with antitoxin. Without urgent medical care, botulism can progress to symptoms such as paralysis, vision problems, breathing failure and, in the most serious cases, death.
One of the biggest concerns, he said, is that contamination may not be obvious before someone becomes unwell.
Dr. Chen warned that the toxin is tasteless and odorless, meaning that prior to symptoms showing, you’d never know that you had been contaminated.
His advice is simple: if a can looks questionable or you are not confident it has been stored and sealed properly, do not eat it. The size and location of any dent matters—small dents are generally considered safe, but deeper dents, particularly those on the seams of cans, should be avoided.
“When in doubt, throw it out,” he noted.
Figures from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggest botulism remains uncommon in the US, with roughly 150 cases reported each year on average. However, the actual number of cases can vary year to year, with recent reports ranging from 215 to 226 cases annually.
Even so, the agency says the danger rises in situations involving counterfeit goods, unsafe home-canning practices or cosmetic injections carried out without proper licensing.
The Mayo Clinic describes botulism as a rare but very serious illness.
Its guidance says food-borne botulism symptoms usually begin between 12 and 36 hours after the toxin enters the body, although the onset can vary from just a few hours to up to 10 days depending on how much was consumed.
Anyone who suspects botulism should seek medical attention immediately, according to the clinic.
“Fast treatment raises your chances of surviving and lowers your risk of complications,” they write.
Damaged canned food is not the only thing Dr Chen says he avoids.
He has also highlighted uncooked or undercooked pork as another food he would not risk eating.
The reason is the possibility of neurocysticercosis, an infection caused by swallowing eggs from the pork tapeworm.
Speaking with CNBC, Dr. Chen added: “Neurocysticercosis is one of the leading causes of acquired epilepsy worldwide. And while it isn’t very common in developed countries, I have seen cases in the US.”