Can you get tin poisoning from eating food a can?

While it is true that certain acidic or highly salty foods can react with the tin plating inside a can and cause the food to become contaminated with tin, it is highly unlikely to develop tin poisoning from consuming such food. The human body is generally equipped to handle small quantities of tin without any adverse effects, and these tiny amounts are typically excreted.

To experience true tin poisoning, one would need to ingest extremely large amounts of tin over an extended period of time. This would require consuming food stored incorrectly or in damaged cans that have resulted in significant tin leaching.

Here are some factors that can affect the leaching of tin from cans into food:

Acidity of food: Highly acidic foods, such as fruits, tomato-based sauces, and pickles, can corrode the tin coating and cause tin to leach into the food.

Storage conditions: Storing canned foods in warm, humid environments can accelerate the leaching of tin.

Damaged cans: If cans are damaged, the exposed metal may react with the food and cause tin to leach.

Length of storage: The longer canned food is stored, the greater the risk of tin leaching.

The FDA has established safety limits for tin in canned foods to ensure that the levels consumed are safe for human health. These limits are regularly enforced, and manufacturers take steps to minimize tin leaching to meet these standards.