Canned food safety requires attention to detail

Canned goods are essential items in many kitchens, but there are specific hygiene rules to follow when opening them to avoid food poisoning. According to a report, there are four types of canned goods sold in supermarkets: those opened with a traditional can opener, those equipped with a pull ring, those in glass with a turnable lid, and "homemade" cans with a rubber that is pulled to break the vacuum. Each type requires different handling to avoid contamination.

Contamination risks from the can's exterior

The inside of a can is sterilized, but the outside is not. This means that microbes from the outside, such as staphylococci and Escherichia coli, can contaminate the food if the opening process does not follow proper hygiene rules. A 2022 study highlights that piercing the metal or pulling a lid without precautions can introduce external microbes into the can. Therefore, it is recommended to clean and dry the lid before opening the can.

Cleaning the can opener is crucial

The can opener itself is a major vector of cross-contamination in the kitchen. Studies from the International Journal of Food Microbiology indicate that contact surfaces of the can opener can become bacterial reservoirs. Therefore, it is important to clean the can opener with water and dish soap after each use, similar to dishware. Failure to clean the can opener can lead to the transfer of microbes from previous use to a new can.