Have you ever beak up a parcel of raw chicken or bitch that look or felt a little — airy ? unremarkably , perishable foods enfold in charge plate from supermarkets are fix that style to preclude juice from leaking out , which can shield bacteria before being cooked . So what happens when the food packaging look bloated ?

According to U.S. Department of Agriculture Food Safety and Inspection Service food safety expert Meredith Carothers , who spoke withEatingWell , you have every right to feel interested by the pot of air - stuffed solid food packaging .

“ Swelling can occur in promotion due to natural gas formed as a solvent of spoilage take place , ” Carothers said . That ’s because bacterial increase can cause natural gas formation . If you see a stark naked food package that look like someone pump air into it like a balloon , you should avoid it or fling it .

That sirloin should never look like someone inflated it with air.

The sameruleholds for tinned goods , which can bag or well up owe to bacteria . In the case of canned goods , that can potentially meanClostridium botulinus , a bacteria thatproducesbotulism toxin , which can make a soul very ill or very dead even in small amounts . ( prick are a bit dissimilar . If the dent isminorand has n’t broken the can ’s seal , it ’s in all likelihood all right . )

Wallace Carothers contribute that not all inflated food containers are uncollectible . Some manufacturers use modified atmosphere publicity , or MAP , purposelyaddinggases to extend the shelf biography of a production . MAP is why a tater bit bag take care inflated : nitrogen is bring in to keep the chip fresher for longer as well as to help the food avoid damage during transportation . ( Once a MAP package has been opened , however , food will disgrace at a normal rate . )

And while it may be tempting to fall back on the “ flavor test ” to assess the timbre of nutrient , keep in mind that not all bacteria - tease meats or other goodness will give off a forged odor . If the packet face unnatural , dispose it .

[ h / tEatingWell ]