Is Your Food Packaging Bulging? Here's When That May Not Be A Good Thing

Packaging is supposed to keep our food fresh and safe, but occasionally, a the plastic film on package of chicken is domed and filled with air, or a can of beans is bulging in a way that doesn’t look quite right. It may be tempting to eat the food inside of a bulging package, but there’s reason to pause.

According to food safety experts, some bulges are harmless, but others can lead to serious illness. It’s important to know the difference and the risks.

According to Darin Detwiler , the chair of the National Environmental Health Association’s food safety program and author of “ Food Safety: Past, Present, and Predictions ,” examining food packaging is a key step to staying healthy. Looking at packaging to make sure it’s not bloating should be a step everyone takes before eating, similar to looking at a food’s “use by” date or smelling a food that’s been sitting around to make sure it doesn’t have a bad odor.

What causes bulging and bloated food packaging?

When packaging starts to bulge, it almost always indicates bacterial growth, said Jagdish Khubchandani, a professor of public health at New Mexico State University who specializes in food safety. The bacteria produces a gas, carbon dioxide. As the gas inside the package increases, the package expands, leading to bulging, he explained.

Less frequently, bloating can be caused by other factors. Changes in altitude may cause changes in pressure inside of packages — and this can cause bulging, Khubchandani said. If you notice that a package is bulging after a flight or you live in a high-altitude area like Denver, altitude might be the culprit. Cans that were frozen will probably bloat too, but are safe to use as long as the seams remain intact and the can hasn’t