How to Use Canned Foods Safely

While working as a field representative for a large food manufacturer, I discovered what most people do not know about mice, rodents and the infestation that happens inside of some large corporate supermarkets. Once I saw the mouse-droppings all over a supermarket shelf, I learned how to be careful with all canned products. (The supermarket where these rodents went wild on the shelves is no longer in business in that particular building). However, mice never go out of business, so I post these helpful hints to you in an effort to pass on good health and safety guidelines for anyone living in large cities. I am writing this article to give ideas and suggestions on how to use canned food safely. Right after this comment and email box, I will list some ideas and helpful hints to be safe when using canned foods.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Cannned foods
• Can opener
• Plastic or glass containers with covers
• Plastic containers with moveable vent openings
• Water
• Soap
• Or Dishwashing liquid

1. The first step in can safety is when you are choosing the cans. Most times when you buy cans at a discount, they are usually dented. So check all the cans.
   
   AVOID DENTED CANS:
   
   If you are buying anything that has tomatoes in it or dairy items in cans, these cans should have no dents. Any dairy, tomato or products containing diary, milk or tomatos, should never be purchased at a discount. And if you must do that, check the cans thoroughly for any dents.
   
   Most likely these are the products that will make you ill --if those cans are dented.
2. WASH LIDS:
   
   At home or at the office, wash the tops of the cans with soap and water and rinse them. This cleans off all the bacteria and possible mouse-droppings that might have accumulated on the tops of the cans.
   
   EXPERIENCE IN STORES:
   
   (In the past, I worked as a field merchandiser, covering over forty stores in the city. There were a number of stores that had mouse droppings right on the supermarket shelves. That means mice or rats where roaming the shelves, and that means they indeed were running on the tops of those cans.
   
   So thoroughly wash all the cans -the lids, that you will be using.
3. Other safety items --lids and storage.
   
   
   SHARP LIDS:
   Lids are sharp. So be careful when opening all cans. Do not be distracted by anything. Concentrate fully when using cutting materials or can openers. If you are in the wilderness and you are using a Swiss knife to open the cans, go gently with this and point the sharp end away from your body.
   
   FOOD STORAGE:
   Never store food in a can that is opened. Move the contents of the can into some plastic or glass bowls and cover them and then refrigerate the foods.
   
   SIDE NOTE:
   
   After visiting a dude ranch in New York, I noticed that one of the trucks that they used to transport the soda to the soda machines on the premises was the very same truck that they transported horse manure in.
   
   This was not an appetizing site. There amongst the remains of the manure were stacks of soda cans, ready to be placed inside the vending machines.
   
   Since that day, I never use a soda can without washing off the top of the soda can. You just never know how that can was transported. So, can safety, and your health should be a priority in your life.
   
   Why? By using these safety tips, you then eliminate lots of germs, bacteria and many illnesses from your life. So the simple act of washing cans or storing them differently could mean the difference between the number of colds or flus that you have in your lifetime and also could mean the difference between ringworm, salmonella and other diseases that are all avoidable.
   
   Please read the tips and warnings section of this article and be sure to check the resources section for more complete information about diseases, cans and mice.

Tips & Warnings

• If you live in a slum building or in a building where the landlord does not keep the building up, you should store your canned items upside down. Then your can lids will be clean. Still, wash all the lids, before using the contents of the cans.
• If you live in a large apartment building or in a basement, store all your food cans upside down. That keeps the tops of the lids clean since mice will not be walking under your cans but on top of your cans if your building is infested. (If you see mouse droppings, have an exterminator come in and use natural traps and organic poisons that are safer than traditional rat poisons).
• Use "mint-flavored" trash bags since mice and rats will naturally avoid those mint-flavored, or mint-scented trash bags.
• Store cans in room temperature. Do not store your cans in or near the oven or stove.
• Never microwave anything inside a can. That will cause a fire and or an explosion.
• Carefully feel and examine cans that are on sale. Many times you can be fooled by just looking at a can. There are some cans that still have paper labels, and some cans can have large dents but the paper label will cover the dent. So be extra careful when purchasing cans that have paper labels.
• If you want 100 percent can safety, avoid eating in small restaurants where lots of the food comes from cans. And most times, these restaurants do not practice can safety. Sure you can take your chances, but it is all up to you. If you have heart problems, and those heart problems are affected by bacteria, germs or similar things, then you will most control your own environment by not eating in restaurants but preparing your own food at home.
• Now, for you skeptics who think this article is a bit too much, check out the article that tells you that mouse droppings can cause ringworm, salmonella and other diseases. The link is here and also in the resources area of this article http://www.unitedwildlife.com/AnimalsMice.html
• Everyone has been concerned about the recent salmonella poisons in tomatos and other products, and not many have mentioned that this salmonella could have possibly come from mice or rats. (Read the article about salmonella below).