The Government of Canada has recalled Brien brand Pacific Tide Sparkling Spring Water after a problem with bulging cans was discovered. Officials have advised consumers and retailers not to use, sell, service or distribute the affected product.The recall notice published Thursday said the product is being recalled due to non-harmful microbial contamination (quality or spoilage).The recalled product is Brine Pacific Tide Sparkling Spring Water sold in 355 ml cans with UPC 7 26529 99111 6. According to the notice, the affected products have best-before codes 01AL2028 and 02AL2028. This recall applies to products distributed in Alberta.The Government of Canada has asked consumers to check if they have the affected product and not use it if it matches the description listed in the recall.The official notice identifies the issue as ‘Food – Microbial contamination – Non-harmful (quality or spoilage)’. No additional products are included in the recall notice, and no further details about the incident are provided. The Government of Canada has also invited consumers to sign up for recall and safety alert notifications to receive updates on new and amended recalls.
Bulging boxes are warning signs
Food safety experts say bulging food containers should be avoided at all costs. Darrin Detwiler, chair of the National Environmental Health Association’s Food Safety Program and author of Food Safety—Past, Present, and Predictions, tells the Huffington Post that checking food packaging is an important step in staying safe.He said people should look for signs of spoilage before eating, such as when they check a product’s use-by date or smell food that has been stored for a while to see if it has gone bad.
The best codes on the affected products are 01AL2028 and 02AL2028.
Why are food cans bulging?
Jagdish Khubchandani, a public health professor at New Mexico State University who specializes in food safety, said the bulging shape of food packaging is usually a sign of bacterial growth. He explained that bacteria can produce carbon dioxide gas, and as the gas builds up inside the package, it causes the container to swell.However, Khubchandani said bacteria growth is not the only possible cause of packaging bulges. Some packages may also expand due to changes in air pressure at high altitudes or after air travel.The U.S. Department of Agriculture says frozen cans may also be bulging, but if the seams are intact and the cans are not rusted, they may still be safe to use. Darin Detwiler said bags of spinach and other leafy vegetables can also swell due to the plants’ natural respiration process, which is not caused by bacteria.
What happens if you consume from bulging cans?
Jagdish Khubchandani said the effects of eating food from embossed packaging can range from asymptomatic to serious illness. Some people may notice only an unpleasant taste, while others may develop food poisoning.The U.S. Department of Agriculture says many people who eat spoiled food don’t get sick because the digestive system can help remove harmful germs. However, Khubchandani warned that some people may experience severe vomiting and diarrhea.He said that, in rare cases, contaminated food can cause serious foodborne illnesses that can lead to complications affecting the kidneys, heart and nervous system. Because it is impossible to know the exact risk just by looking at the swollen package, experts recommend avoiding such products.Khubchandani added that eating food from bloated packaging isn’t worth the risk, while food safety expert Darin Detwiler offered a simple rule, “If in doubt, throw it out.”