dent in can

When in doubt I always ask myself: do I want to toss away 79cents or spend a couple hours in the bathroom.

Sorry, if I knew you were that hungry, I'd have tried to type faster! ;-)

I'd be happy to try:

Some cans, like a Coke can, have no side seam. Others have a welded seam down the side (it will be obvious -- strip off the paper label if necessary). All cans have either a top seam, bottom seam or both where the lids are glued on. The seams are weak points and leaks are not always apparent. It's not the leakage of the contents that represents a danger; it's bacteria-contaminated air leaking into the can that's a problem.

Cans receive dings all the time from normal handling and those minor dents don't usually cause an issue. A dent caused by being hit with something sharp resulting in a crease or a gouge as opposed to a gentle concave depression is a potential point of leakage.

And while we're on the subject, rust is another sign of danger for the same reasons.

well I opened the can and some of the chickpeas almost look like they are beginning to sprout. The two may have nothing to do with each other, but I'm not going to chance it. The question is whether I should mention anything to the market where I purchased them.

can you maybe clarify what you mean by this--sorry. By a seam, are you referring to the side of the can? Not sure about the latter. Conflicting opinions when I google

Dents aren't a safety issue unless they're on a seam or sharp enough to cause a leak.