Household Health Precaution (Canned Contamination)
By John Cain
If you buy and use any food product that is canned, then you may want to take heed to what this is about. By taking heed and following the following advice, could save you from sickness, disease, or possibly even death, due to canned products. I’m not talking about the contents of the can. I’m talking about what the lid of the can has possibly been exposed to and has become contaminated with. When you puncture the can to open it, you are therefore contaminating the contents.
In canning factories, canned goods are cased in cardboard boxes and then stored in large warehouses. In dark and quiet areas of these warehouses, rats, mice, roaches, and many other type of bugs, are crawling and walking all over these cases of canned goods. The rats and mice urinate or leave their droppings on these boxes and the urine soaks through the cardboard and onto the top cans of the case. This urine dries as a residue on the can lids. When you puncture the can to open it , the puncture causes the content to be contaminated. Even more when the lid of the open can lowers itself down into the juices which are in the can. So what ever disease the rats or mice had, you are exposing yourself to it and with a risk of sickness, disease, and or possible death. I say possibly death, because I have heard of someone opening a can before and hours later they died. After an investigation, it was found that dried rat urine of a rat which carried a deadly disease to humans, had urinated on the box which the can was in. Also, in these warehouses, many times cases break from falling and etc., and the cans that didn’t get bent are recased. I will bet that the cans are not cleaned, once they have rolled on the filthy floors.
I suggest using a weak bleach solution on your can lids, then rinsing the lids before you open them. I do this as I unpack my groceries to avoid touching them later on and contaminating something else. I actually wipe the lids with a damp paper towel to rinse them off. I don’t think most people realize what canned goods are sometimes exposed to before they hit the grocer, but what if the grocery store has mice and rats all over the stock once they close? Maybe the stocker who shelves the products in the grocery stores, goes to the bathroom and doesn’t wash their hands when finished. In that case, whatever this person touched while they were in the bathroom, is transferred all over the can, and more than likely, the can you are about to open for your family.
Today there are so many risks in so many things you do. To me, this lowers the odds of something that I may even avoid entirely because I took five minutes to safeguard against it. I keep a spray bottle under my kitchen sink for only this purpose. For a quart of water, I mix in ¼ cup of bleach. One bottle lasts me over six months. It’s cheap insurance.
Comments
The Rope: Thanks for stopping by. There are a lot of " gambles " we make in todays society. Unknowingly. Most can be avoided if we know about them. I may write about more, that we can avoid. Thanks for the comment.
John - Good tips about avoiding contamination of the contents of canned goods with not-nice stuff on can lids when you open the cans. I just read something today about the contamination of can lids of cans on the pantry shelf from "pantry moth" larvae and the like. So even when you clean the can lids before storing them, you might want to do it again before opening them.
Gus :-)))
GusTheRedneck: Thanks for reading. Good advice about recleaning the cans. How often do I sterilize or clean rhe pantry? Not that often. Very good point.Thanks
I only use soap and water to clean my canned goods. Next time, I will try to use the bleach. This is an informative and helpful hub.
Happy Weekend!
Tina V Thanks for the comment. I used to only use soap and water but realized it wasnt cleaning the bacteria.
Yes, indeed - filth filth and more filth. Then when you get in the can more fun as they are lined with BPA - a toxic chemical (that is now supposedly removed from plastic baby bottles). Thanks for the reminder - we cannot assume when it comes to food products. Good health should not be a gamble.
Useful information you've written. Thanks for sharing. God Bless!
BKCreative: Thanks for the comment and for stopping by.
Artin2010: Thanks for stopping by and for the comment.
Very good article and one in which people need to pay attention. Actually the mechanical act of cleaning the lids whether one uses bleach or not will eliminate most of the contaminants. But a weak bleach solution is just added insurance. Good hub!
Peggy W: Thanks for following me and for stopping by. I figure in todays society, that any safeguards a person can do, may prevent a problem later.
Thank you! Thank you! For this info!!! GREAT HUB! When you get a chance come visit me. Blessings!!!
drpastorcarlotta: Thanks for stopping by. I will be by also. God Bless
Very 'Ugh' hub and excellent reminder for safety! I never thought about all the 'vermin' plus that might have been climbing around. Thanks for reminder!
frogyfish: Thanks for the visit. There is a lot of contamination in todays society that people dont think about. Publis bathrooms is enemy number 1.
Thank you for sharing this knowledge. I often wipe cans too, but I will be doing more now, like running hot water on them and wiping them before opening them. There are so many strange conditions, disorders, and diseases these days. God Bless you.
stars439: Thank you for the visit. Smart idea on your part.
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The Rope 2 years ago
UggggH! Guess I shouldn't have read this before breakfast. Thanks for bringing this to our attention. I'm totally freaked out now and will be a lot more careful in the future!