Quick answer
Check canned foods for suitable condition, intact seals, dates and storage instructions before use. Do not use bulging, leaking, deeply damaged or otherwise suspect packs, and do not taste them to decide. A shallow dent is different from damage that compromises the seal. Open sound cans hygienically, then follow the product’s storage/opening-life instructions and transfer unused contents from ordinary opened cans.
The pack is part of the product’s protection
A sealed can’s condition matters as well as its date. Damage can compromise that protection even when the food was originally shelf-stable.
FSA pack-condition guidance distinguishes minor shallow dents from deep damage, seal concerns and bulging cans. Do not treat a best-before date as a reason to overlook an unsafe pack.
Check the stock before opening
| Check | Action |
|---|---|
| Bulging/leaking/tampered pack | Do not use; separate and resolve with supplier/manager. |
| Deep damage/seal concern | Do not use a pack with compromised protection. |
| Shallow dent only | Assess condition carefully; not every minor dent is equivalent to seal failure. |
| Rust/uncertain damage | Hold for a safe decision rather than guess. |
| Date and storage label | Follow actual product instructions; not all canned products have identical storage needs. |
| Product/batch identity | Retain information needed for stock control and any incident. |
Open sound packs hygienically
Use a clean suitable opener, check its condition and keep the opening process away from ready-to-eat contamination. Prevent lid fragments, sharp edges and damaged opener parts becoming foreign material.
SFBB physical-contamination guidance supports equipment condition and suitable food containers. Never open or taste a suspect can merely to see whether the food seems normal.
Opening changes the storage decision
Follow the product’s refrigeration and use-after-opening instructions. FSA storage advice recommends transferring unused contents from an ordinary opened tin into a suitable covered container.
Preserve the food’s identity, original instructions and relevant opening/date/batch information. Decanting does not reset the original use-by limit or create a longer safe life. Products designed for resealing have their own instructions.
Worked example: two damaged packs
Hypothetical example: one delivery can has a small shallow dent away from obvious seal damage; another is swollen and leaking.
The swollen/leaking pack is not used. The manager assesses the first pack’s full condition under the safe receiving procedure; “all dents are harmless” and “all dents are identical” would both miss the distinction.
Manage stock and concerns
Store sound packs under their label conditions, rotate stock and investigate repeated damage. Keep suspect stock separated so another shift cannot use it by mistake.
If potentially unsafe food has already been supplied, use the business’s incident, traceability and notification procedure rather than quietly removing only the remaining cans.
Next steps
Check a delivery pack, the opener and the decanted-food label together. Link checks with receiving and traceability.
Read official pack-condition guidance — Distinguish minor damage from compromised pack protection.