Cheese can and does grow mold, although the USDA doesn’t consider it to be as hazardous as some other foods (hard cheese - cut the mold off, it won’t penetrate deeply, but soft cheeses should be discarded unless they were made with mold or some types). However, you don’t mention any visible mold, so it probably isn’t mold (yes, bacteria can grow on cheese too, including pathogenic types).
Of course, I imagine that swollen zombies (look at the date on the post before yours) have some really nasty germs in them.
I am just the least bit suspicious of all ham (the trichinosis thing), but ham that puffs up and looks nasty would get tossed without hesitation.
Last weekend I got a can of anchovies to put a few on my half of the pizza, and when I opened it, oil spurted out and landed several feet away. Not sure what was up with that, but it went in the trash.
One half of the package puffed out of nowhere, the other had been eaten some time before. Today’s date is 04 SE 13, the BB date is 23 SE 13. It’s been in the fridge some 3 weeks, I figure. Yesterday we punctured it, and did a smell test, seemed fine. Today, what the hell, we’re hungry, we’re chancing it!
The taste was fine, we are now 2 hours after ingestion, and so far so good. Will keep you posted. Mostly vigilant for blurry vision and breathing difficulties associated with botulism, the rest seems innocuous.
This is not ham, so no trichinosis, right?
Wish us luck!
The still breathing, and symptomless, hungry guinea pig team
The presence of microorganisms in processed containers can result from various causes such as post processing entry through flexing seams, out-of- specification seams or seam defects.
Under-processed containers would allow survival of microorganisms which could result in spoilage.
Because there is no way of determining toxin presence non-destructively, all swollen containers must be considered a potential health hazard and sampled.
Typically, any lots with a swell rate in excess of 1% are considered to be adulterated, and subject to seizure or detention regardless of the cause.
There is a significant chance that it’s harmless, and I really hope so, but this was a very stupid thing to do. Do you really want to try something that has a few percent chance of killing you?
This thread is the Go-To for future Band Names. Like every single string of 2 or more words.
few percent chance of killing you
significant chance that it’s harmless
existing gases expand
Swelling of factory-sealed food containers
swollen zombies
survival of microorganisms
determining toxin presence
can of anchovies
Puffed up Chicken
killing that bloated meat
Heh. A few years ago I was cleaning out the rather capacious closet with shelves I’d used as a pantry. And found a can of anchovies still sealed that had puffed up, just sitting there. I gingerly moved it to the trash. There was no question of eating it–but I wondered what an anchovy bomb would have done to the kitchen. I now store china in the closet & food goes into shallow cabinets with quick turnover.
I’m not worried about trichinosis but past experience has taught me to beware of cold cuts…
My favorite band name in this vein is The Blank Theory, as in people were talking about naming their new band and one of them was like “you know those Theory bands, we could name it something like that, like The Blueberry Theory, The Zombie Theory, you know, The [Blank] Theory” Other Guy: “The Blank Theory! Yeah!”
That’s a relief. The last time I tried to open a bloated can of spam, it smelled worse than sewerage. And did you know bloating = pressure? Like a rotting meat aerosol?
