Canned Goods Are Batting 1.000 In Food Safety Over The Last 30 Years

By Sam Lewis

Metal packaging is consumers’ best bet for food safety this holiday season

The holidays are nearly upon us, and many American families will be planning or have already planned their celebratory meals. The North American Metal Packaging Alliance (NAMPA), along with the canned food industry, wishes to remind American consumers of the unparalleled stretch of food safety of canned foods, which play a significant part of many households’ holiday meals.

Innovations in metal packaging technology have made cans not only an economically sound packaging investment, but an important part of food safety. More than 30 years have passed since the last instance of foodborne illness linked to failures in metal packaging occurred, according to the FDA. The success is due to modern can linings which provide corrosion resistance and protect the can itself from bacterial and microbial contamination. “The latest advances in materials and coatings, as well as state-of-the-art visual and mechanical inspection of every single can that is manufactured, are integral to a food safety record for metal packaging that is without parallel today,” says Dr. John Rost, chairman of NAMPA.

Adding to the prestige of the can’s safety record is the packaging’s production volume. More than 4,300 cans are made in the U.S. every second; leading to 130 billion cans being manufactured in the U.S. every year. Modern manufacturing allows this swift production process to be monitored by high speed cameras which screen the can’s lining, vacuum seal, welds, and seems. The process has achieved a 100 percent success rate that has virtually eliminated foodborne illnesses stemming from canned goods. “It’s easy to lose sight of the fact that the risk of food borne illness from canned foods is a thing of the past, thanks to the technological innovations in manufacturing that have made the metal can the premiere packaging option for foods and beverages,” says Rost.

Despite being around for 200 years, the can remains a wonderful invention in food packaging. Still, engineering and design innovations continue to be implemented to improve the performance of the metal can, as it remains at the top of the food packaging ladder. “Decades of research and development have gone into making sure metal cans continue to provide the highest quality food content that is nutritious, flavorful, and safe for consumers,” says Rost. “Our industry is fully engaged and committed to consumer safety so that when families come together for Thanksgiving dinner, their only concern is whether to have that second helping or not.”

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