To ask if I'm at risk from botulism from dodgy can of beans

[NotMyUsualOne]

Posting for traffic!

Possibly over-reacting here, but anyway.

Had beans on toast for tea. First bite I noticed a metallic taste, but put it down to ongoing issues after Covid last year.

Second and third bites, still metallic. Asked DS if his tasted weird and he said yes. Asked DH to taste. He said yes. I asked if the can was dented. He went to check and it wasn't but did smell very metallic and is slightly dull inside, but not rusty as such.

Stopped eating and started Googling, which helpfully suggested botulism could ensue from spoiled canned food.

Am now shitting myself (not literally).

Which brand was it?

I've eaten from plenty of dented tins and never been poorly or noticed a funny taste. Has anything else tasted off to any of you?

Heinz.

No, nothing else and the can itself smells incredibly metallic. DH has an appalling sense of smell, so didn't notice when he opened it.

Ah, I was thinking of Branston as they can be a bit metallic. I guess even if the metal has corroded, it doesn't necessarily mean the beans have gone off

www.justanswer.com/medical/6rxl5-ate-newly-opened-b-m-baked-beans-noticed-metalic-taste.html

I think you might be over-reacting

I think most beans taste a bit metallic? I wouldn't think anything bad is going to happen.

What was the date on the tin?

I stopped buying Heinz because too many cans had the metallic taste. It's just the flavour from the tin don't worry if the can was damaged there would be obvious mould.

Heinz are rank tasting anyway but long as no mould floating about and tin reasonably ok as in not orange rusty then you should be ok

Oh @hamstersarse, I'm definitely over-reacting. Problem is, once I've over-reacted, I find it hard to then under-react.

The use-by date is December 2022 and it looked fine from the outside.

No mould, just a very noticeable metallic tang.

only 62 cases have been recognized between 1922 and 2005

From this academic publication. I would think it’s unlikely, we have very high food standards in this country.

Chickpeas are bad when they go off. Are they like baked beans?

Call 111?

The inside of the cans are coated with something to protect the food from the metal. Sometimes there's not enough coating on and the metal reacts with the food and then tastes odd.

Thanks all, you're very sensible, just what I needed.

You can't see, smell or taste botulism

@OtterAndDog

Call 111?

I really hope that's not a serious suggestion

If anxiety is taking over your life it's worth speaking to your gp

as pp said, you can't tell if something has botulism. So the weird tatse maybe because the can was damaged, but it is not an indicator of botulism.

The greates risk of botulism is anything with meat in, so it would be unusual in beans.

Dented tins don't usually have botulism. You should worry if the tin pops outwards - it indicates anaerobic respiration occurring inside creating gas, Clostridium botulinum respires anaerobically.