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Home » Kitchenware » Cans

Cans

Tin cans

Tin cans. Angela / Pixabay.com / 2009 / CC0 1.0

Cans (aka tins) are metal containers (usually cylindrical but not necessarily) in which food or drink is hermetically sealed for storage over long periods of time.

Contents hide
  • 1 Construction of cans
  • 2 Can sizes
  • 3 North American Can Sizes Chart
  • 4 Storage Hints
  • 5 History Notes
  • 6 Can-related entries
    • 6.1 Can Openers
    • 6.2 Pullman Cans

Construction of cans

Cans for food are typically made of “three different materials: aluminum, tin-coated steel (tinplate) and electrolytic chromium coated steel (ECCS).” [1]Geueke, Birgi. Can coatings. Food Packaging Forum. 15 December 2016. DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.200633. Accessed November 2020 at https://www.foodpackagingforum.org/food-packaging-health/can-coatings

Metal cans provide physical protection, barrier properties and recyclability, and can be heat-treated and sealed for sterility. . [2]A glossary of common packaging materials. University of Turin. In: Consumer and Environmental Safety: Food Packaging and Kitchenware. Module 1, Step 5. Accessed November 2020 at https://www.futurelearn.com/courses/consumers-and-environmental-safety-food-packaging-and-kitchenware

The metal of cans can corrode, however, so the cans need to be coated with a protective layer to both protect the food from the metal, and the metal from the food:

“Highly acidic foods and some food ingredients promote corrosion of metal leading to leakage of the can and spoilage of the food. In addition, coatings prevent reactions between the can’s metals and the food which could e.g. result in unwanted cloudiness of beverages or staining of food.” [3]Geueke, Birgi. Can coatings.

Several different types of coating can be used to protect the integrity of food cans from effects of the food they hold:

“Cans are typically coated internally and externally with thin films (1 to 10 µm) that protect the integrity of the can from effects of the food and prevent chemical reactions between the metal and the content. Epoxy-based coatings have the highest market share of more than 90%. However, food companies have started to replace BPA-based epoxy coatings with alternatives, following some toxicological evidence and recent regulations. Acrylic and polyester coatings are currently used as alternatives and, more recently, polyolefin and non-BPA epoxy coatings are being used. Further inventions include BPA capturing systems and top coatings. These alternatives are usually more expensive than epoxy coatings.” [4]A glossary of food contact materials and key terms. University of Turin. In: Consumer and Environmental Safety: Food Packaging and Kitchenware. Module 1, Step 6. Accessed November 2020 at https://www.futurelearn.com/courses/consumers-and-environmental-safety-food-packaging-and-kitchenware

Other coatings used for food cans include acrylic, oleoresins, phenolic, polyester, polyolefins and vinyl.

Can sizes

The size of a can cannot be taken as an indication of how much weight in food it will hold. Cans that are the same size can vary in weight after they are filled, depending on what they were filled with of course. And, every can, during filling, must leave some headspace, and not be filled right up to the very top.

In North America, metrification of can sizes hasn’t necessarily led to rationalization of can sizes.

When you see three digit numbers, they are created as follows:

  • The first number of the three digits represents the number of whole inches. So, in a 303 can/ tin, the first three represents 3 inches (7 ½ cm);
  • The final two numbers represent sixteenths of an inch. So, in 303, the “03” part at the end represents 3/16ths of an inch (4.7 mm.) So the total size of the can is 3 3/16 inches.

When the full dimensions are given, they will look like this: 303 x 407 (3 3/16 x 4 7/16.) The first number given is the width; the second is the height. So, the Can in our example is 3 3/16 inches (8.1 cm) wide x 4 7/16 inches (11.3 cm) tall. As a short form, usually just the first dimension of 303 is given — the width.

North American Can Sizes Chart

The standard sizes that evolved in North America were numbered 1 through 10 (plus a 2 ½ size.)

In North America, some older recipes used these can sizes as a measurement of how much of an ingredient they were calling for.

Size NumberDimensionsVolume of Food
(approx.)
Weight
(approx.)
Usage
¼½ cup4 ozIndividual portions.
⅜¾ cup6 ozFor both individual portions of fruit juices, and frozen juice concentrates.
½1 cup8 ozPortions of vegetables and fruits for 2 people.
#11 ⅓ cup11 ozFruit, vegetables, condensed soups.
No. 1 picnic
211 x 4001 ¼ cups10 ½ to 12 ozMostly condensed soups, but also some fruits and vegetables.
#1 tall301 x 4112 cups16 ozMostly condensed soups, but also some fruits and vegetables.
#1 square2 cups16 oz
No. 2307 x 4092 ½ cups20 ozJuice, uncondensed soup, pineapple and apple slices, fruits, vegetables. Tomatoes.
No. 2 cylinder307 x 51226 ½ oz of water
No. 2 vacuum307 x 3061 ½12 ozMainly used for vacuum-packed sweet corn kernels.
No. 2 ½3 ½ cups27 to 29 ozFruit, tomatoes, sauerkraut, pumpkin puréed, spinach.
#2-½ square4 cups31 oz
No. 211211 x 4141 ½12 ozCylinder-shaped
No. 35 ¾ cups51 ozCylinder shaped. Juices.

Institutional sizes of pork and beans, condensed soups and some vegetables.

#3 squat2 ¾ cupsLooks like a No. 3 can cut in half. Baked beans.
No. 3 cylinder404 x 7005-¾46 oz
No. 300
used to be #4
300 x 407 or 300 x 509 (cylinder)1 ¾ cups14 to 16 ozBaked beans, cranberry sauce, chili, canned macaroni.
No. 303303 x 4062 cups16 to 17 ozMain size post 1980s for fruits, vegetables.
No. 303 cylinder
303 x 50922 oz22 oz
#5
502 x 5107 ⅓ cupsLarge tins for tuna
No. 10
602 x 700 or 603 x 8303 quarts (12 cups)
*may hold up to 1 cup more based on size of the can
6 ½ pounds to 7 pounds and 5 ozInstitutional sized fruit, vegetable.

Storage Hints

It’s generally still considered a big no-no to store food in an opened can. The American Food Products Association says: “Once opened, leftover contents must be removed from the can and placed in a covered, non-metallic container and refrigerated or frozen.” [5]2005. Retrieved from http://www.fpa-food.org/content/consumers/faqs.asp.)

History Notes

At first, every manufacturer made its own cans for its own food. In 1928, when Heinz first started canning baked beans in the UK, it made its own cans at its factory in Waxlow Road, Harlesden, north-west London (later to be bombed twice during World War Two.) Crosse & Blackwell made their own cans in Bermondsey in South London, a centre of can production.

At a certain point, the desire for standardization came about. This allowed food processors to buy cans from third-party suppliers and realize cost savings. Note that as of the early 2000s, at least, Heinz in the UK had gone back to making its own cans.

See also the Preserves History section.

Can-related entries

Can Openers

Can Openers

Can openers are such an essential part of a kitchen that they are taken for granted. If you dislike the one you have there's no reason to suffer with it: there are many different models now available.

Pullman Cans

A Pullman can is called "Pullman" because its long rectangle shape looks like a railway car. It's not a standard can size, though. The length can vary from 20 to 50 cm (8 inches to 20 inches.) The other dimensions can vary as well: 10 x 10 cm (4 inches...

References[+]

References
↑1 Geueke, Birgi. Can coatings. Food Packaging Forum. 15 December 2016. DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.200633. Accessed November 2020 at https://www.foodpackagingforum.org/food-packaging-health/can-coatings
↑2 A glossary of common packaging materials. University of Turin. In: Consumer and Environmental Safety: Food Packaging and Kitchenware. Module 1, Step 5. Accessed November 2020 at https://www.futurelearn.com/courses/consumers-and-environmental-safety-food-packaging-and-kitchenware
↑3 Geueke, Birgi. Can coatings.
↑4 A glossary of food contact materials and key terms. University of Turin. In: Consumer and Environmental Safety: Food Packaging and Kitchenware. Module 1, Step 6. Accessed November 2020 at https://www.futurelearn.com/courses/consumers-and-environmental-safety-food-packaging-and-kitchenware
↑5 2005. Retrieved from http://www.fpa-food.org/content/consumers/faqs.asp.)
This page first published: Aug 7, 2004 · Updated: Jan 17, 2022.

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Tagged With: Cans, Conversions, Cooking Tools

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