5 Tips to select Can Food

Are you buying can food as raw food for your food business? If yes, there are some tips for you to select good quality can food. 

Tips 1: Expiry date of can food still valid

Every product have shelf life.  And it is displayed as expiry date.  Always check that the food is not reached expiry date.  Otherwise, the food might have bacteria growth or lower quality and not suitable to be consumed. 

Tips 2: Clean.

Make sure the can surface is clean so that it is free from any contamination, such as mouse urine that could induce Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS).

Tips 3: No rusty

Rusty of can means the can material is not good. And, the can food might be contaminated too. So, do not select can that is rusty.

Tips 4: No swollen

The can shouldn't be swallow.  Swallow of can means there are gas excreted by bacteria in the can food.  It means the can food has a lot of bacteria.  So, avoid select can which is swallowed. 

Tips 5: No tinted. 

When can is tinted, it will have small pole that enable oxygen enter the can.  When the can contain oxygen, the bacteria on food could utilize the oxygen to continue growing.  Thus, tinted can food should not be selected.

Credit: Food Safety & Quality Division, Labuan Federal Territory Health Department