Building a food safety system for metal packaging is a systematic engineering project.
Release time:
Dec 18,2020
Theoretically, as technology advances, the competitive landscape of both food cans and beverage cans—whether in the form of three-piece tinplate cans (3pc) or two-piece cans (in either DWI or DRD configurations)—is constantly evolving.
The safety of metal packaging is a serious issue that touches upon every aspect—from the formulation and enforcement of regulations by government agencies and the guidance provided by industry associations, to technological and process advancements within the metal packaging industry and its supporting sectors, and even the downstream influence exerted by food and beverage manufacturers. Only through the concerted efforts of all parties can we successfully carry out this systematic project that safeguards food safety.
Drawing on Japan’s experience, there still remains an opportunity for China’s metal packaging industry to replace coated-iron three-piece cans with film-coated iron three-piece cans. Beyond three-piece cans, the application of film-coated iron faces two major challenges arising from severe tensile deformation: First, thin-wall drawn two-piece cans, where the degree of deformation exceeds 70%; second, easy-open lids, where the deformation at the rivet location is around 55%. To effectively resist such deformation and ensure the quality of the finished empty cans, the key lies in the inherent quality of the tinplate substrate itself. When using film-coated iron, it is crucial to ensure compatibility with the contents. Without proper knowledge in this area, directly using film-coated or coated-iron cans without taking additional corrective measures—such as adding an appropriate amount of food-grade stannous citrate—will inevitably lead to a loss in the commercial value of these products.
In the beverage-can sector, although in recent years two major herbal-tea brands have driven a trend toward “three-piece cans becoming two-piece,” when it comes to packaging for more sensitive protein and dairy beverages, two-piece cans remain completely off the radar in the Chinese market. Instead, we only see hot-filling three-piece cans, aseptically filled PET bottles, and paper-aluminum-plastic composite packaging (commonly known as Tetra Pak packages).
In terms of both technology and cost, tinplate material holds fundamental significance for the can-making industry. Generally speaking, tinplate accounts for as much as 70% of the cost of can production, and reducing the thickness of this material can lead to substantial cost savings in can manufacturing.
There are numerous indicators for evaluating coatings, and Japan’s approach to controlling the safety of internal coatings is worth learning from and drawing upon for China’s canning industry. Although national standards worldwide are generally quite similar, Japan’s industry standards are higher than its national standards, and corporate standards in turn exceed industry standards—thus enabling Japan’s canning industry to achieve what can be described as the world’s highest food safety standards.
Building a food safety system for metal packaging is a systematic undertaking. Given China’s unique national conditions, government agencies—including those responsible for regulation and the formulation of laws and standards—will play a leading role in this process. These agencies can learn from and draw on Japan’s practices, while also strengthening their awareness and knowledge levels.
Today, many large food and beverage brands—such as Lululemon, Coconut Tree, Yangyuan, and Dali—have established their own quality-control standards and monitoring systems. They rely on advanced testing instruments, including gas-phase, liquid-phase, and mass-spectrometry integrated systems, to independently monitor the data required for their inspections. These companies generally hope that, once technological barriers are removed, food safety can be ensured in one seamless step. This push from the bottom up has greatly accelerated progress in both the upstream can-making industry and the coatings industry. Once, the chairman of a renowned beverage manufacturer divided domestic enterprises into three categories: The first category comprises companies that are willing to shoulder social responsibility and are either striving to align with or have already aligned with world-class standards; the second category consists of companies that merely follow the current national standards; and the third category includes companies that prioritize profit above all else, operating without any ethical or moral boundaries. It can be said that only by making enterprises of the first category the mainstream can food safety cease to be a pressing issue.
Although China’s domestic metal can food safety currently faces numerous challenges, technological advancements will undoubtedly bring about significant innovation. Beyond the strength and financial investment required for a project’s success, what matters even more are the people involved, the methods they employ, and their unwavering determination.
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