The history of the tin can: mummies, Napoleon and Soviet geologists

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People often have the most unusual questions when searching online. And when fantasy is already approaching its peak, you can even think about what tin cans are made of. Funny? — Not at all, because everyone likes to eat some kind of canned food: fish in its own juice, in tomato sauce, in spices, all kinds of pates, salmon caviar, pollock. Yes, there are many other things on the shelves today that can be eaten only by opening a jar, or used as a basis for hot and cold dishes, salads, rolls, tartlets. Before considering the question of what metal cans are made of, let's look back into the past.

Tin Cans

Cans for canning are made of tinplate (thin sheet iron coated on both sides with an even thinner layer of tin). The surface of iron sheets is covered with tin to prevent oxidation of iron by atmospheric oxygen. The iron sheet has a thickness of 0.24-0.35 mm. Thinner tin is used to make small cans, thicker tin is used for large ones with a capacity of 3 liters or more. However, the canning industry has now begun to produce cans from thinner tin, 0.20 mm thick. cans are convenient and much easier to open. In addition, iron consumption is reduced by almost 25%.

The purest tin is used for tinning (coating) iron, without any admixtures of other metals, especially those that are harmful to humans. The layer of tin covering the surface of the iron sheet is needed not only to preserve the iron from rusting, but also to protect canned foods from direct contact with the iron. In the event of such contact, canned products quickly darken; destruction of vitamin C in them, the appearance of a metallic taste, as well as the formation of black spots of iron sulfide on the inner surface of the cans, due to the reaction between iron and sulfur compounds formed during the heat treatment of certain protein products.

Tinning of tin with tin is carried out at metallurgical plants. This process is often carried out by the so-called hot method - immersing clean etched sheets of iron in baths of molten tin. This leaves a thin layer of tin on the sheet of tin. If you cut a plate of tinplate measuring 10x10 cm, then the weight of tin on both sides of the plate will be only 0.4-0.45 g.

But the industry has already introduced a new, progressive method of tinning tin - electrolytic. The new method can dramatically reduce tin consumption. In addition, the tinning speed increases several times.

Tinplate is a good, convenient material for cans . The preserved product retains its quality well in them.

Content

• 1. History
• 2 Description
• 3 Advantages of steel cans
• 4 materials
• 5 standard sizes
• 6 Making jars
• 7 Design and production 7.1 Steel for can making
• 7.2 Two-piece steel can design
• 7.3 Drawn and ironed steel cans (DWI)
• 7.4 Magnetic properties

Lacquered tin cans

Most of the canned food at our enterprises is produced in tinplate cans. However, there are many canned foods for which a tin coating is not enough to preserve the quality (pickled vegetables and fruits containing acetic acid, or various canned foods with tomato sauce, fruit compotes made from sour fruits). Under the influence of the acids that make up these canned foods, tin can dissolve; in some places, areas of iron not coated with tin may appear on the inner surface of the cans. To prevent this from happening, such canned food is made in lacquered tin cans. Tinplate is coated with a special food-grade varnish, which completely eliminates the possibility of the product dissolving metals. Canned food varnishes are not allowed to contain any substances harmful to humans. Varnished cans are suitable for making all types of canned food.

Readers may have a question - if this is so, then why are not all tin cans made of lacquered tin? From the above it is clear that this is simply not necessary. In addition, varnishing, of course, increases the cost of cans and should be done only if truly necessary.

It is worth dwelling on the frequent cases of darkening of the inner surface of unvarnished tin cans with the formation of spots or stripes of various shapes of a bluish-brown color. This phenomenon is observed in canned foods that contain a lot of protein (stew, green peas, canned fish, etc.). When such products are heated during sterilization, sulfur compounds are formed, which immediately react with the tin coating the inside of the jar. The resulting substances form a thin bluish film. It is harmless, insoluble in water and adheres firmly to the tin. Its only drawback is that it somewhat worsens the appearance of the inner surface of the jar (the phenomenon of “marbling”).

In varnished cans, almost no marbling is observed. Therefore, recently, canned meat is often produced in varnished cans.

The sizes of cans are standardized. The standards establish the exact (up to tenths of mm) dimensions of each type of tin can. There are more than 30 types of tin cans. For each type, exact dimensions are determined, a specific number is assigned, and a list of canned foods for which these cans are intended is recommended. The most common are cylindrical jars of various capacities.

Canned fish is often prepared in rectangular, oval and elliptical jars. These jars have a small height and shape, convenient for placing oblong fish in them without damaging them.

Source

The history of the creation of canned food.

Nowadays, canned food means a wide variety of food products packaged in sealed containers, mainly in tin cans, and subjected to sterilization. It is curious that the French discoverer of the canning method, confectioner Nicolas Appert, used glass containers.

The canning method proposed by Apper initially only complemented the already proven methods of storing food - drying and salting. There were no production facilities yet to produce canned food in the required volumes. For example, to supply the entire Napoleonic army. But nevertheless, Upper's canned food became a great help.

Appera put the products in glass containers, jars with a high neck specially made for him, sealed them hermetically, and then boiled them in salt water to increase the boiling point, with small jars in boiling water for an hour and a half, larger ones for three to four hours at just above 100 degrees. The boiling time was also varied and it was found that there were no “little animals” in tightly sealed and well-heated jars. They were only in those jars that were not tightly closed and not boiled long enough, and, most likely, they got there from the air or were preserved after boiling.

In 1795, the Directory announced a competition to invent a method for long-term storage of food supplies. The winner was promised a substantial cash prize and the title “Benefactor of Humanity.” Apper decided to take part in the competition and did not give up his efforts even when others failed. It was he who in 1810 received the title and reward for his invention - 12 thousand francs, a lot of money, a fortune - from the hands of Napoleon Bonaparte himself.

In 1810, Appert's essay “The Art of Preserving Animal and Vegetable Substance for Several Years” was published. Taking advantage of the emperor’s favor, the enterprising confectioner opened a store in Paris called “Various Food in Bottles and Boxes,” where every customer who entered immediately saw the certificate of honor received from Napoleon. However, Appert’s canned goods did not gain much popularity, even in Napoleonic’s army. The average buyer was scared off by the price - after all, the costs of producing canned food were high.

By the way, we became acquainted with the canned food supplied to the French army in Russia during the Patriotic War of 1812. But Russian soldiers were afraid to use canned food in glass bottles confiscated from French prisoners. It was believed that these were canned frogs.

However, already in 1821, as evidenced by the Russian Archives magazine published at the end of the 19th century, not only soldiers knew about canned food in Russia: “Now they have reached such a degree of perfection that ready-made dinners from Roberts in Paris are sent to India in some tin utensils of a new invention, where they are preserved from damage.” The fact is that, quite reasonably considering glass jars and Upper bottles as unreliable containers, the English inventor Peter Durant proposed using tin cans and already in 1810 he patented his invention. Durant himself was unable to put the invention into production and two years later sold the patent to Brian Donkin and John Hall. The thousand pounds sterling spent on the purchase of the patent paid off quickly - in 1813, the Donkin and Hall factory began producing canned food in cans for the needs of the British army and navy.

Durand cans were made from hand-forged and tin-plated iron sheet. The sheet was also soldered manually, on the inside of the jar, the bottom was soldered to the body, and the lid was soldered only after the contents of a solid consistency were placed in the jar. If any liquid, such as broth, was to be poured into the jar, then the jar was completely soldered, but a small hole was left on the lid through which the liquid was poured, after which the hole was sealed. The lightest jar weighed at least 500 grams, was quite expensive - a skilled craftsman made no more than five jars per hour - and to open such a jar required a hammer, chisel, dexterity and considerable physical strength.

There were known cases of death from starvation of sailors who found themselves after a shipwreck on a desert island, who had a supply of canned food, but did not have anything that could be used to open cans. During the Crimean War, English soldiers broke many bayonets when they tried to open canned food, which forced the command to issue a special order prohibiting the use of bayonets for this purpose.

In addition, the solder on the seams of many cans of that time contained lead, which led to the slow poisoning of those who ate canned food. Thus, lead solder was recognized as one of the causes of death of part of the crew of the British Arctic expedition of John Franklin, and in the winter of 1872-1873, seal hunters who were forced to spend the winter there died on Spitsbergen - a study of the remains of the victims, carried out today, showed that with a high probability The hunters were killed by lead poisoning contained in the solder of cans.

After Henry Bessemer patented a method for producing low-carbon steel, it became possible to produce thin tin, which gave greater accuracy in the dimensions of the manufactured cans and made the work of tinsmiths easier. Now opening cans was no longer such a serious problem, and the appearance of can openers of a wide variety of designs in the late 1850s generally minimized it.

The use of thin sheet metal made it possible to avoid welding when fastening the bottoms and covers. Gradually, tin cans acquired a modern look. Moreover, it has become possible to open them both without a can opener and without a knife, chisel or. Using improvised means, that is, with bare hands, opening the jar turned out to be not at all difficult. True, the jar is tall, for example with stew. It’s already difficult to flatten, say with sprats. To do this, you need to push two recesses into the sides of the can at an angle to each other and start, holding the base of the can, if possible, move the bases in relation to each other, one clockwise, the other counterclockwise. Sooner or later, a gap will appear in the place where the supposed connection of the recesses is located. By expanding it, you can ensure that the jar is open. More precisely - torn. Please come to the table...

Tin cans

Dear friends and visitors to our store www.samogon-plus.ru , pay attention to the section “Tin cans for canning”. This is a convenient, practical and modern packaging for food products. The offered tin containers are manufactured on high-precision equipment from food-grade tin with a thickness of 0.18-0.22 mm in accordance with the requirements of GOST and ISO (international quality standard). The varnish-enamel coating of the can ensures safe preservation of any type of food product.

Classification of cans for canning

Tin cans for canning differ in the manufacturing technology of the body:

• ✔ One-piece or one-piece stamped tin can (seamless technology)
• ✔ Welded or three-piece tin can (welded side seam)

Attention! The welded tin can is manufactured using modern technology and has a high-quality welded seam, rather than the previously used soldered seam. Our jars are absolutely safe for health and do not contain lead-containing solder.

Making cans - all the wisdom

What metal are tin cans made of? Canning jars make:

• made of thin tinned steel;
• sometimes made of aluminum or other metals.

Why exactly these materials?

• They can be recycled again without losing quality or strength.
• The main difference from other utensils for storing food is that there is no way to reseal the jar, since the metal is cut when the jar is opened.

How is the container constructed?

• A tin can consists of a body, a bottom and a lid.
• To keep the can sealed, the longitudinal seam is automatically sealed with tin solder.

Important! When sealing cans, do not allow alloy particles to get inside the body, since the solder contains a small amount of lead.

The alloy is applied only to the outer surface of the can body. In a sealed case, the edge is folded back to attach the bottom and lid. The bottom and lid are usually the same. They are made from a sheet or roll of tin with the formation of rings on the surface, which are called stiffening rings.

When the finished jar is subjected to sterilization, the pressure in it increases, and the stiffening rings act as springs. They allow the can to expand without damage. After the jar has cooled, the lid and bottom return to their normal position.

Important! Currently, there are many canned foods, especially fish, that are produced in one-piece cans. They do not need to be sealed, you just need to roll the lid on top. Typically, low cans are made this way. Sometimes tin cans are equipped with special keys or tabs for easy opening.

Standard sizes[edit]

Cans come in different shapes: two common shapes are the "soup can" and the "tuna can." Walls are often reinforced with rib bumps, especially on large cans, to help the can resist denting that can cause the seams to split.

US can sizes have many designations and sizes. For example, a size 7/8 contains one half-cup serving with an estimated weight of 4 ounces; size 1 "picnic" consists of two or three servings for a total of one and a quarter cups with an approximate weight of 10½ ounces; size 303 has four 2-cup servings weighing 15½ ounces; and size 10 cans, which are most widely used in food service and sold in cafes and restaurants, serve 25 servings for a total of 13 cups with an approximate weight of 103½ ounces (about the size of a 3-pound coffee can). These are regular US cups (not British Imperial standards).

In the United States, cookbooks sometimes refer to jars by size. The Can Manufacturers Institute defines these dimensions by expressing them as three-digit numbers, like whole ones, and sixteenths of an inch for the nominal outside dimensions of the container: thus, 307 x 512 would have a diameter of 3 and 7/16 inches by 5 and 3/4 inches (12 /16 in.) high. Older can numbers are often expressed in single digits, with contents calculated for room temperature water as approximately eleven ounces (#1 Picnic Can), twenty ounces (#2), thirty-two ounces (#3), fifty-eight ounces (#5) and one hundred and ten ounces (#10 "coffee" can). [17]

In some parts of the world that use the metric system, cans come in 250, 500, 750 ml (milliliter) and 1 liter (liter) sizes (250 ml is approximately 1 cup or 8 ounces). Cans imported from the US often come in unusual sizes, such as 3.8 L (1 US gal), 1.9 L (1/2 US gal), and 946 ml (2 US pints/1 quart).

In the UK and Australia, cans are usually measured by net weight. A standard size tin holds approximately 400g; although the weight can vary from 385g to 425g depending on the density of the contents. The smaller half size can holds approximately 200g, usually between 170g and 225g.

Lacquered tin cans

Most of the canned food at our enterprises is produced in tinplate cans. However, there are many canned foods for which a tin coating is not enough to preserve the quality (pickled vegetables and fruits containing acetic acid, or various canned foods with tomato sauce, fruit compotes made from sour fruits). Under the influence of the acids that make up these canned foods, tin can dissolve; in some places, areas of iron not coated with tin may appear on the inner surface of the cans. To prevent this from happening, such canned food is made in lacquered tin cans. Tinplate is coated with a special food-grade varnish, which completely eliminates the possibility of the product dissolving metals. Canned food varnishes are not allowed to contain any substances harmful to humans. Varnished cans are suitable for making all types of canned food.

Readers may have a question - if this is so, then why are not all tin cans made of lacquered tin? From the above it is clear that this is simply not necessary. In addition, varnishing, of course, increases the cost of cans and should be done only if truly necessary.

It is worth dwelling on the frequent cases of darkening of the inner surface of unvarnished tin cans with the formation of spots or stripes of various shapes of a bluish-brown color. This phenomenon is observed in canned foods that contain a lot of protein (stew, green peas, canned fish, etc.). When such products are heated during sterilization, sulfur compounds are formed, which immediately react with the tin coating the inside of the jar. The resulting substances form a thin bluish film. It is harmless, insoluble in water and adheres firmly to the tin. Its only drawback is that it somewhat worsens the appearance of the inner surface of the jar (the phenomenon of “marbling”).

Links[edit]

1. Jump up
   ↑ Kraus, F. J. (2009). "Steel cans." In the Pit, K.L. (ed.). Encyclopedia of Packaging Technologies. Wiley. pp. 205 -216. ISBN 978-0-470-08704-6.
2. Geoghegan, Tom (2013-04-21). "BBC News - The story of how the tin was almost gone". BBC.co.uk. Archived 06/06/2013. Retrieved June 4, 2013.
3. ↑
   American Can Company: Revolution in Containers. Archived July 15, 2009, at the Wayback Machine, excerpted by William K. Stolk; Newcomen Society of North America Address, April 21, 1960 - Printed July 1960 from oilcans.net, retrieved July 16, 2010.
4. Magpie (2002) Fundamentals of
   Packaging Technology, Institute of Packaging Professionals ISBN 1-930268-25-4
5. ^ abcde "APEAL - Steel for packaging: cans, household, food, beverages, aerosols, paints and special cans". apeal.org
   . Archived from the original on 2013-08-08.
6. ^ abc "Drinks | Tata Steel in Europe". www.tatasteeleurope.com
   . Retrieved July 9, 2022.
7. ^ ab "Steel for Packaging - Home". www.steelforpackaging.org
   . Retrieved July 9, 2022.
8. “Does a drink stay colder in a metal can or a plastic bottle?” . The science
   . Retrieved July 9, 2022.
9. ^ab "Home". Retrieved July 9, 2022.
10. ^ ab Soroka, V. Illustrated glossary of packaging terminology (second ed.). Institute of Packaging Professionals. Archived January 29, 2011.
11. Hertzberg, Ruth; Green, Janet; Vaughan, Beatrice (25 May 2010). Putting the Food Down: Fifth Edition. Penguin. ISBN 9781101539903. Archived February 6, 2022.
12. Petroleum Week Archived 2018-02-06 at the Wayback Machine, Volume 9, 1959, p. 82 (Google Books)
13. Puzo, DANIEL P. (April 29, 1993). "Lead in Cans: Still a Preventable Problem". Los Angeles Times
    . Retrieved August 29, 2022.
14. Code of Federal Regulations. USA. April 1, 2017. P. 21CFR189.240. Retrieved August 29, 2022.
15. Hickman, Martin (04/01/2010). "Revealed: A Nasty Secret in the Kitchen Cupboard". London: Independent. Archived April 2, 2010. Retrieved April 1, 2010.
16. "BPA-free banks in the UK?" . Naturaler. 2018-10-26. Retrieved November 17, 2022.
17. "Can standards". cancentral.com. Archived from the original on November 20, 2010. Retrieved November 24, 2010.
18. ^ ab "Steel packaging". Retrieved July 9, 2022.
19. "Tinning", Wikipedia
    , March 3, 2022, retrieved July 9, 2022.
20. "Beverage can", Wikipedia
    , July 1, 2022, retrieved July 9, 2022.
21. "Steel Cans - Developments in Design and Materials". AZoM.com
    . 2002-10-11. Retrieved July 9, 2022.
22. "Magnets for transporting aerosol cans and cans". www.goudsmithmagnets.com
    . Goudsmith Magnetics. Retrieved July 9, 2022.
23. "How jars are filled". www.canmakers.co.uk
    . Manufacturers of cans. Retrieved July 9, 2022.
24. "Recycling". www.buntingeurope.com
    . Retrieved July 9, 2022.
25. "Canmaker" canmaker.com
    . Archived from the original on December 3, 2013.
26. ↑
    Jing Han (August 1, 2005).
    "Ergonomic Design of Aluminum Beverage Cans and Bottles". ResearchGate
    . Archived from the original on September 24, 2015.
27. "64.9% of steel cans are recycled". worldsteel.org. January 10, 2007. Archived from the original on July 18, 2011. Retrieved November 24, 2010.
28. "Frequently asked questions about recycling". cancentral.com. Archived from the original on December 5, 2010. Retrieved November 24, 2010.
29. "Eco-friendly material | Tata Steel in Europe". www.tatasteeleurope.com
    . Retrieved July 9, 2022.
30. "Blog: Steel is a Surprising Recycling Champion". Retrieved July 9, 2022.
31. "Steel is a permanent material in a circular economy". Retrieved July 9, 2022.
32. "Circular Economy". cycleareconomy-worldsteel.org
    . Retrieved July 9, 2022.
33. «Recycles Mark | Metal packaging in Europe". www.metalpackagingeurope.org
    . Retrieved July 9, 2022.
34. https://www.canzbac.co.nz/images/RecyclingGuideforSteelFillers2006.pdf
35. “Everyone can count on who we are.” Every bank counts
    . Retrieved July 9, 2022.
36. Blunden, Steve; Wallace, Tony (2003). "Canned Tin: A Review and Understanding of Occurrence and Effect." Food and chemical toxicology
    .
    41
    (12): 1651–1662. DOI: 10.1016/S0278-6915(03)00217-5. PMID 14563390.
37. "Tin in Canned Fruits and Vegetables (Number 29/02)" (PDF). Food Standards Agency. 2002-08-22. Archived (PDF) from the original on 10/19/2010. Retrieved April 16, 2009.
38. Chandler, B.V.; Clegg, K. Getting Married (1970). "Pink Discoloration of Canned Pears I.—The Role of Tin in the Formation of Pigment." Journal of Food Science and Agriculture
    .
    21
    (6): 315. DOI: 10.1002/jsfa.2740210612.
39. Jump up
    ↑ Vogel, S. (2009). "The Politics of Plastics: Making and Unmaking Bisphenol A Safe." Archived May 30, 2022, at the Wayback Machine. American Journal of Public Health 99(S3): 559–566.
40. ^ a b "Campbells Eliminating BPA in Soup Cans". www.torontosun.com. Archived from the original on March 23, 2014. Retrieved June 4, 2013.
41. [1] . Canada Gazette Part II
    . October 13, 2010 [archived March 18, 2012]; 144(21):1806–1818.
42. Martin Mittelstadt. Canada was the first to declare bisphenol A toxic. Globe and Mail
    (Canada). October 13, 2010 [archived January 2, 2012].

General links, additional reading [edit]

• Nicholas Appert
• History of the Tin Can at About.com
• Yam, K.L., Encyclopedia of Packaging Technology
  , John Wiley & Sons, 2009, ISBN 978-0-470-08704-6
• Soroka, V., Fundamentals of Packaging Technology
  , Institute of Packaging Professionals (IoPP), 2002, ISBN 1-930268-25-4

Second life of tin cans

Tin, aluminum, in principle, the composition is not important, that is, what the tin can that appears in your home is made of. The main thing is that you can make a lot of useful things out of it with your own hands. Sometimes their second life turns out to be much brighter, more beautiful and more useful than the real one.

Organizer for office supplies

Jars were invented to store something in them; it could very well be small things from your desktop. There are a lot of options for decorating a tin can:

• they can be painted;
• cover with thread;
• decorate with pebbles and shells;
• lay out a mosaic of pieces of glass on them.

Important! Use your imagination and your desk will be decorated with an original organizer that will be a nice place to store pens, pencils, buttons, etc.

Garden lamps

If you are planning a celebration at your dacha, then original lamps placed in the yard or among the trees will add a very special atmosphere to your garden.

Flower pots

From tin cans you can come up with a wide variety of flower pots of different sizes, colors and shapes. They can be decorated with available materials, such as clothespins. It will turn out beautiful and original.

Important! It will look very nice if you cover the jar with garden rope, you can even come up with tags with the names of the plants.

Cutlery stand

A few cans and a piece of wood will make a beautiful cutlery stand. You can use the same principle to make a stand for bottles.

Drum

Even a child can handle this. Just stretch the balloon onto the can, secure it with a rubber band - the drum is ready!

Wall decor with jar lids

Quite a labor-intensive job, but the result lives up to expectations. You can decorate the entire wall or just part of it. Lids from cans of various sizes are adjusted to each other, and a metal wall is obtained.

Snowman

It’s easy to make: you need to take three cans of different sizes, which are painted to look like a snowman and decorated with buttons. The snowman can be given a hat, scarf, hands and twigs. Children will surely like this craft and will decorate your yard not only in winter.

Notes[ | ]

1. Gordon L. Robertson.
   Food packaging (undefined). - CRC Press, 2006. - P. 123. - ISBN 0849337755.
2. Beattie O., Geiger J.
   Frozen in Time: Unlocking the Secrets of the Franklin Expedition. - Saskatoon: Western Producer Prairie Books, 1988. - ISBN 0-88833-303-X.
3. Ulf Aasebø, Kjell G Kjær.
   Lead poisoning as possible cause of deaths at the Swedish House at Kapp Thordsen, Spitsbergen, winter 1872-3 (English) // BMJ. - London: BMJ Group, 2009. - ISSN 0959-8138.
4. How to open a tin can with a knife and hands? / Article on the website pohod-lifehack.ru
   .

Cool remodels: what can be done from tin cans

Do you throw away cans? But in vain: you can use them to make many useful and beautiful things for your home and garden. To work, you will need a minimum set of tools and materials, but inspiring ideas will not matter. Choose!

Creative ideas for using tin cans

Flowerpots and flower pots

Unpretentious succulents do not need a large volume of soil, so they will grow perfectly in such cute pots.

Stylish pots for succulents

If there are larger jars, feel free to plant other plants with a small root system in them. But in both cases, do not forget about the drainage holes so as not to turn the jar into a swamp.

They feel good in these pots

Just look how you can decorate a boring fence or turn a blank shed wall into a vertical flower garden!

You can make a delightful planter in minutes: cut the jar to the desired length, attach clothespins - you're done! Or glue (with a glue gun) simple pencils, tie them with twine made of natural fibers - why not a designer thing?

Not only is it difficult to find such pots in a store, but you will also save a lot of money: products made from natural wood cost a lot.

Candlesticks and lamps

A favorite topic in the handicraft world... What they are made from! But from tin cans they turn out to be simply unrealistically impressive.

And don’t think that you can’t do this: a good stationery knife, a hammer, nails (or a drill with a thin drill), a little patience - and an exquisite piece of furniture will decorate your dacha.