I really, really want to use this tomato sauce
January 10, 2025 4:53 PM Subscribe
I bought a can of Wegman's Organic Tomato Sauce yesterday. When I opened it a few minutes ago, it popped with positive pressure inside. It smells and looks good. I know that bulging cans are a sign of botulism. I don't have any other tomato sauce, naturally...
...Can I eat this?
...Can I eat this?
Response by poster: As far as I know there was no bulging. I only mentioned that so that noone would feel obligated to say, "If it popped, that could indicate it was bulging, since both symptoms are correlated with positive pressure. Bulging cans are an indication of botulism."
- I know bulging cans are an indication of botulism.
- I didn't notice the can bulging.
- All I have for "this is unusual" reporting is: there was a significant, loud pop from positive pressure.
posted by amtho at 5:05 PM on January 10
- I know bulging cans are an indication of botulism.
- I didn't notice the can bulging.
- All I have for "this is unusual" reporting is: there was a significant, loud pop from positive pressure.
posted by amtho at 5:05 PM on January 10
Ahh that makes sense. I thought you'd skipped over some information. In the absence of bulging or foamy spraying liquid or dents I would probably eat it, but tbh I have only discarded 3 cans in my nearly 50 years--two of them dented with compromised inner lining and one can of Rotel that was only half full and had black mold growing on the top of it. (Haven't bought Rotel since, tbh.)
posted by MagnificentVacuum at 5:11 PM on January 10
posted by MagnificentVacuum at 5:11 PM on January 10
Out it goes. Hope you didn't get any on you. Practice good hygiene.
posted by the Real Dan at 5:29 PM on January 10
posted by the Real Dan at 5:29 PM on January 10
Another vote for tossing it out and finding a way to sub for it. Ketchup for a meatloaf or sloppy joes, a cream or butter sauce for a pizza or pasta. It could have just been a difference of pressure between the can and the surrounding air, but it’s equally as likely that the tomato sauce was fermenting or there was some unpleasant bacteria (not necessarily botulism) that was eating your tomato sauce and making a ton of gas. Better safe than sorry in this case, I think.
posted by donut_princess at 5:40 PM on January 10
posted by donut_princess at 5:40 PM on January 10
Are you sure the pressure was positive?
If the pressure in the can was lower than ambient where you are, the lid of the can would flex out when opened, and the pop would sound like positive pressure in my experience. If the can was sealed hot as generally I’d think they would be for sterility, then the pressure inside would be lower.
posted by jamjam at 5:45 PM on January 10 [10 favorites]
If the pressure in the can was lower than ambient where you are, the lid of the can would flex out when opened, and the pop would sound like positive pressure in my experience. If the can was sealed hot as generally I’d think they would be for sterility, then the pressure inside would be lower.
posted by jamjam at 5:45 PM on January 10 [10 favorites]
I’m not expert enough to weigh in, but I just want to note that botulism cannot be seen, tasted, or smelled, so looking normal is unfortunately not a good indicator of safety.
posted by ceramicspaniel at 7:12 PM on January 10 [2 favorites]
posted by ceramicspaniel at 7:12 PM on January 10 [2 favorites]
I have taken care of a patient with botulism. He was in prime physical condition, and within two days of eating his homemade botulism pickles, he was in the ER, and intubated within four hours. Did you know that to get the antitoxin, the CDC sends it with a person? So they can gain observational experience and monitor the clinical course. On my life, fifty people showed up to watch us hang the little vial of antitoxin. It took him about a month to get out of the ICU.
Don't take a chance. Throw away the suspicious can.
posted by honeybee413 at 8:28 PM on January 10 [17 favorites]
Don't take a chance. Throw away the suspicious can.
posted by honeybee413 at 8:28 PM on January 10 [17 favorites]
Response by poster: I saved the open can in a plastic take-out quart soup container, so I can take it back to Wegman's...just in case. I mean, I know it's probably not botulism, and they'll think I'm paranoid... I might not take it back, but I can decide after the snow melts. Thanks.
Oh, I also called poison control for advice. That wasn't awful, but it wasn't super informative either.
My pasta sauce wasn't as good as I hoped - I had a jar of commercially-prepared sauce, which always tastes way too sweet for me, and I mixed it with the sauteed mushrooms and tomatoes I'd already prepared. Bleah, but I feel pretty good, at least.
Thanks.
posted by amtho at 8:53 PM on January 10
Oh, I also called poison control for advice. That wasn't awful, but it wasn't super informative either.
My pasta sauce wasn't as good as I hoped - I had a jar of commercially-prepared sauce, which always tastes way too sweet for me, and I mixed it with the sauteed mushrooms and tomatoes I'd already prepared. Bleah, but I feel pretty good, at least.
Thanks.
posted by amtho at 8:53 PM on January 10
Good call. Got any lemon juice? I often add it to my sauce to brighten it. If no lemons, wine vinegar would probably be a reasonable sub.
posted by kate4914 at 9:21 PM on January 10
posted by kate4914 at 9:21 PM on January 10
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posted by MagnificentVacuum at 5:00 PM on January 10 [1 favorite]