A shopper bought a four-count pack of Campbell’s Condensed Tomato Soup cans. But when she took them out of the pack, she realized they were all dented. Now a doctor is weighing in.
Dr. Karan Raj (@dr.karanr) is a National Health Service (NHS) surgeon, and he mainly posts medical content for his 5.3 million followers. In a video with 448,000 views, Dr. Raj reacted to the Campbell’s Soup video by Ashlea Nicole (@ashlea_nicole).
“If you’ve ever wondered why they say ‘don’t use dented cans,’ this is why,” Nicole says in her video, revealing one of her dented cans. “Just [got] this, and I cut [the wrapper] open to take the cans out. The cans were all like this.”
She shows that the cans had dents in them.
Dr. Karan Raj enters the chat
Dr. Raj reacted to Nicole’s video with advice on dented cans. “If you have dented cans, here’s what to look for to know if it’s safe to use,” he says.
“Look at the side seam. These are usually covered by the label. So, make sure to peel it off to inspect it,” he says.
“If you see this,” he continues, circling the side of the can. “Throw the can away because it’s likely compromised.”
“This is also a side dent, which covers a large surface area,” Dr. Raj says, showing a picture of a can with a side dent. “But it doesn’t involve the side seam, and it doesn’t cause a sharp pointy edge, so it’s OK to use.”
Although the first can Nicole showed in her video appeared small, it wasn’t safe to eat from it. “This dent ends up creating a sharp pointed edge, suggesting there could be a small hole compromising the can. Throw it away,” Dr. Raj advises.
He then shows another can with a small dent near the top seam.
“This dent involves the seam at the can, this time at the top. Also, unsafe,” he says.
On the flip side, a dent that doesn’t affect the seam is safe. “A small dent [that] doesn’t encroach the seam, it’s safe to use,” Dr. Raj says. Furthermore, dents deep enough to lay a finger on it is safe, Dr. Raj explains.
“If the can looks like it’s been crushed, throw it away. Also, abandon it if it’s about to explode,” the doctor says.
Fortunately, not every dent means tossing the can out. “But if you find yourself with a dented can and you’re unsure, if in doubt, throw it out,” he concludes.
The Daily Dot reached out to Dr. Raj via Instagram direct message and TikTok comment and Nicole via TikTok comment and direct message. We also reached out to Campbell’s via contact form.
Viewers had mixed feelings about dented cans
“I just don’t fk with dented cans period no sense in risking it,” one viewer wrote.
“I throw away all of my dented cans because I’m paranoid,” a second shared.
“Just eat it. If [something] is wrong with it u will only get sick once,” a third remarked.
“In this economy if i find a sale with those dented cans that’s like greatly reduced it’s going in the cart,” another commented.
@dr.karanr Dented cans
♬ original sound – Dr Karan Raj
Is it dangerous to eat out of a dented can?
The USDA recommends, “NEVER USE food from cans that are leaking, bulging, or badly dented; cracked jars or jars with loose or bulging lids; canned food with a foul odor; or any container that spurts liquid when opening. Such cans could contain Clostridium botulinum.”
What is Clostridium botulinum?
Clostridium botulinum is a toxin that attacks the nervous system. According to the Cleveland Clinic, botulinum can weaken and paralyze muscles. Symptoms of this foodborne illness include “trouble swallowing or speaking, dry mouth, facial weakness, blurred vision, drooping eyelids, and trouble breathing,” per the Mayo Clinic. If the toxin attacks the phrenic nerve (the one that controls your breathing), it can lead to death.
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