Internal corrosion and shelf-life of food cans and methods of evaluation

Internal corrosion in food cans is characterized by metallic dissolution which is an electrochemical reaction. In lacquered cans, corrosion may also cause disruption in the continuity of the lacquer film. These reactions may cause organoleptic changes in the product, loss of vacuum, swelling, and leaking in extreme cases. In some instances the metal dissolution (i.e., lead) may give rise to toxicological problems. Therefore, these phenomena are often the limiting factor in the shelf life of canned products. Changes in color, texture, and sensoric properties of the foods, which take place simultaneously, affect the aesthetic and nutritional value of the product and thus its shelf life. These changes are often related to interactions with the container. For example, tin dissolution prevents browning and loss of ascorbic acid. Shelf life of canned foods is governed by the quality of the raw materials, the processing technology, quality of the container and storage conditions which will be reviewed in this paper. Can manufacturing technologies, mechanisms of electrochemical corrosion, methods of their measurement and prediction of shelf life will be discussed.