SWOLLEN CAN OF SURSTRÖMMING?
Is it safe to eat the content of a swollen can of surströmming?
Fermented fish, despite the scent, is micro-biologically a very safe product. In the seventies, the National Food Administration in Sweden attempted to add food poisoning bacteria Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus cereus and Clostridium perfringens. None of these could grow in the cans. Clostridium botulinum and Listeria monocytogenes were not tested but the high salinity (amount of salt content in the water) makes it extremely unlikely that these bacteria could grow.
It can be concluded that surströmming micro-biologically is a very safe product. As long as the can is not leaking it is safe to eat from.
According the BBC a can of surströmming can explode. If that was true shouldn't the military would use these? Normally when a can of surströmming that gets really swollen almost round, it can start leaking, and if it gets punctured in that state a squirt of surströmming juice will fly out. To make it explode it needs to be put in a fire.
Fermented fish, despite the scent, is micro-biologically a very safe product. In the seventies, the National Food Administration in Sweden attempted to add food poisoning bacteria Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus cereus and Clostridium perfringens. None of these could grow in the cans. Clostridium botulinum and Listeria monocytogenes were not tested but the high salinity (amount of salt content in the water) makes it extremely unlikely that these bacteria could grow.
It can be concluded that surströmming micro-biologically is a very safe product. As long as the can is not leaking it is safe to eat from.
According the BBC a can of surströmming can explode. If that was true shouldn't the military would use these? Normally when a can of surströmming that gets really swollen almost round, it can start leaking, and if it gets punctured in that state a squirt of surströmming juice will fly out. To make it explode it needs to be put in a fire.
BBC published this interesting and creative headline.
Sorry BBC, check your facts first!
❌ Fermented fish is NOT rotten fish
❌ Surströmming can NOT be turned into missiles
Read more on our page about Surströmming in the news
❌ Fermented fish is NOT rotten fish
❌ Surströmming can NOT be turned into missiles
Read more on our page about Surströmming in the news
