# Is cooking with aluminum dangerous...cooking in the can....



## mldollins (Jun 21, 2008)

I did not want to hijack a thread so here goes. I have several cans of soups and chili's at my workplace. If I had to, I could cook directly in the can, just remove the label. Is this dangerous? Have any of you done this before?

(dangerous in regards to aluminum or other metals leaching into the food)


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## GoldenCityMuse (Apr 15, 2009)

Sure there is some alum. molecules transferred to food, but that is such a low risk, I don't concern myself over it. Much greater probability of dieing from Cholera, dysentary, salmanella thru inadequately cooked food.


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## damoc (Jul 14, 2007)

The cans should be steel so you should not have a problem unless they are lined with plastic?

preferable to heat in a hot water bath to avoid burning food its hard to cook in a can directly over heat. 

when camping i used to open the can and just put it next to the fire just turning it every once and a while. it took a long time but did not burn.


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## blooba (Feb 9, 2010)

damoc said:


> The cans should be steel so you should not have a problem unless they are lined with plastic?
> 
> preferable to heat in a hot water bath to avoid burning food its hard to cook in a can directly over heat.
> 
> when camping i used to open the can and just put it next to the fire just turning it every once and a while. it took a long time but did not burn.


Yea the cans are steel with a "shellac or plastic" coating on the inside. I wouldn't be worried about the metal but the coating may not be good for you. Would need more research on that.


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## PrettyPaisley (May 18, 2007)

I would not. In addition to the aluminum, it is very hard to find a can these days that is not lined with BPA. BPA has been outlawed in Canada but you know the FDA won't say a word. I would not want to expose myself or my little ones, and definitely not on a frequent basis to BPA.


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## Harry Chickpea (Dec 19, 2008)

Second the hot water bath idea - a lot of foods in cans already have had the food and can at those temps during processing. Microwave could _possibly_ melt the metal at the joint of the can - depends on the differences in materials. Heating over an open flame would be my last resort.


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## seedspreader (Oct 18, 2004)

Went camping last week. (I'll detail that on another post), cooked food directly in the can.

We're still alive.


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## Mike in Ohio (Oct 29, 2002)

Eating from a few cooked in cans in an emergency situation shouldn't be considered that big an issue. Now if you were doing it 3 times a day for years....

Mike


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## stranger (Feb 24, 2008)

don't take a chance on anything that you're not 100% sure of, it's easy and cheap to get sick, but not so easy and cheap to get well.


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## coehorn (Jul 29, 2009)

seedspreader said:


> Went camping last week. (I'll detail that on another post), cooked food directly in the can.
> 
> We're still alive.




Rarely does someone reach toxic or dangerous levels of contamination thru casual contact. Many of these poisons are cumulative over the lifetime. 

Interesting tidbit: Sawdust has been declared a carcinogen now. People breathing in the dust from cutting operations were turning up with lung diseases and cancers from long-term exposure. Can you imagine the lungs of a person exposed to long-term, intermittent contact with "pressure-treated" (poisoned) sawdust?


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## coehorn (Jul 29, 2009)

Mike in Ohio said:


> Eating from a few cooked in cans in an emergency situation shouldn't be considered that big an issue. Now if you were doing it 3 times a day for years....
> 
> Mike




Each person's body is different. I bet some people would show negative responses in a few months or less.


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## Ernie (Jul 22, 2007)

I don't do it. There's just too much I don't know about what goes into the lining of those cans. Plus, at the "workplace" we're probably talking about a microwave. I'm certainly not sure how THAT would react with those linings.

Bowls are cheap. Get one.


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## Cyngbaeld (May 20, 2004)

When canned food is produced it is packed into the cans and then cooked. They use steam. I can't see how a person reheating food inside the can will cause any more toxins to be released into the food. I would prefer to heat it inside another container of hot water because otherwise you need to stir it inside the can and there is rarely enough head space to do that.


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## Mike in Ohio (Oct 29, 2002)

coehorn said:


> Each person's body is different. I bet some people would show negative responses in a few months or less.


The OP said "several cans". If this is the greatest risk he has to worry about he is doing pretty good in my book.

Mike


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## seedspreader (Oct 18, 2004)

One of the state extensions has a 4h pdf out that recommends cooking in a coffee can.

My cans aren't lined with plastic, the typical canning heat is higher than boiling and I have a lot of other things to worry about before I would worry about that.

To each their own. The Human body is amazing resilient and in a StuffHTF scenario, or even a mild survival scenario I wouldn't hesitate to cook in non-plastic lines cans.

In the UK, they DO USE a plastic liner, and their fighting issues with leaching just sitting on the shelf. Use some common sense and you'll be fine.


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## mldollins (Jun 21, 2008)

A day or two. Had this to almost happen twice. I have heating supplies but.....I don't have a metal container. 

My point is to heat directly out of the container and eat until I can head home and eat.

This would be short term only...


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## Cyngbaeld (May 20, 2004)

Put a bigger can with the ones that have the food. Or just eat the stuff cold. Might not be as palatable, but it'll fill you up the same.


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## Cabin Fever (May 10, 2002)

Like some of the others, we routinely heat food in their cans when cooking on the campfire. Been doing this for the past four and 1/2 decades. The can does not come in contact with any flame. It's just nuzzled down next to some campfire coals. (Is "nuzzled" a word?)


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## Ode (Sep 20, 2006)

Get a good set of backpacking cookware. Typically very light, and everything nests, plus it is all designed for a single person so a complete set doesn't take much room. In an emergency though, I wouldn't hesitate to heat the can and eat directly from it. Most health issues would be from long term accumulation, when what you need to be concerned with is the short term danger of starvation. But I suppose if you starve to death, you don't have to worry about being poisoned! ^_^


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## 7thswan (Nov 18, 2008)

My Grandma used to bake bread all the time in cans, don't know why. But she usta take it to church and have it Blessed.


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## 7thswan (Nov 18, 2008)

Cabin Fever said:


> Like some of the others, we routinely heat food in their cans when cooking on the campfire. Been doing this for the past four and 1/2 decades. The can does not come in contact with any flame. It's just nuzzled down next to some campfire coals. (Is "nuzzled" a word?)


don't know, but nuzzel is better than muzzel.


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## Farmerwilly2 (Oct 14, 2006)

I did more than my fair share of KP in the service. At gunnery ranges ALL of our lunches were the main can from our C-Rats heated in a pot of water. I think the bigger danger was eating the 'ham&eggs' or hot tuna from a can.
Do they still make the vending machines that dispense a can of hot bescketti, chili or ravioli?


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## tamsam (May 12, 2006)

Can you put medal cans in a microwave? Mine makes all kinds of sparks if you forget to to take the spoon out of a bowl. Maybe you can the new ones. Just a question. Sam


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## damoc (Jul 14, 2007)

have not used a microwave in years but am pretty sure its still no metal


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## seedspreader (Oct 18, 2004)

Did I miss where the OP said anything about a microwave?


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## PrettyPaisley (May 18, 2007)

It is very difficult to find cans not lined with BPA. You may not be able to see it, thus thinking *your* cans are lined with it, but that does not mean it is not there. 

Does anyone else notice how rarely metal cans of food rust these days? My father was grocer-I spent a lot of time in my younger years looking at groceries.  Saw lots of rusted cans. I don't see so many anymore. 

http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/...ber-2009/food/bpa/overview/bisphenol-a-ov.htm


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## Oldcountryboy (Feb 23, 2008)

At one time I worked for this Electrical Contractor who had a Box Warmer rigged up. It consisted of a small plywood box with a hinged lid on top, and a Keyless light fixture with a incadescant bulb mounted to the lid. When you oped the lid, the lamp fixture would swing up out of the way so you could reach inside. When we would arrive to where ever we would be working for the day, we would plug the Box Warmer in to a plug-in, place cans of chili, soup, temales, or whatever you brought for lunch inside the box and come lunch time we would have a hot meal. 

Forgot to mention, he had the inside lined with tinfoil to reflect the heat.


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## Ernie (Jul 22, 2007)

seedspreader said:


> Did I miss where the OP said anything about a microwave?


I assumed microwave because I didn't think it likely that in his workplace he would be lighting a small fire.


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## NamasteMama (Jul 24, 2009)

First the cans are not aluminum if they are the regualar cans of food, they are tin-coated steel. As long as they do not have the plastic liner you are perfectly safe cooking in them. They will be hot though. We used to make hobo stoves in girl scouts out of cans. ;0)


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## mldollins (Jun 21, 2008)

I am looking at how to cook canned chili or soup for short term till I can migrate home. I am making the assumption there is no power....


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## unregistered29228 (Jan 9, 2008)

I've cooked chili and beans in the can, over sterno - you need the little metal stove to fit over the sterno can, but it works just fine. You'll also need pliers to remove the can from the sterno. 

I wouldn't want to eat out of a can every day, but I wouldn't hesitate in an emergency. I guess if you're worried about leaching in the can, use the sterno to boil some water in a different container and then set the can in it to gently heat.


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## blooba (Feb 9, 2010)

seedspreader said:


> One of the state extensions has a 4h pdf out that recommends cooking in a coffee can.
> 
> My cans aren't lined with plastic, the typical canning heat is higher than boiling and I have a lot of other things to worry about before I would worry about that.
> 
> ...


http://www.cancentral.com/canc/text/manuf.htm
In the US,


> Following application and curing of the exterior label (lithography), the can is conveyed to a bank of spray machines that spray the inside with an* epoxy-based organic protective coating*. The inside coating is also cured by forced hot air. The coating prevents the beverage from contacting or reacting with the metal in the can body even though aluminum is a relatively nonreactive material. Both the exterior overvarnish and the interior protective coating are made with water-based materials to prevent harm to the environment.


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## Ode (Sep 20, 2006)

Oldcountryboy said:


> At one time I worked for this Electrical Contractor who had a Box Warmer rigged up. It consisted of a small plywood box with a hinged lid on top, and a Keyless light fixture with a incadescant bulb mounted to the lid. When you oped the lid, the lamp fixture would swing up out of the way so you could reach inside. When we would arrive to where ever we would be working for the day, we would plug the Box Warmer in to a plug-in, place cans of chili, soup, temales, or whatever you brought for lunch inside the box and come lunch time we would have a hot meal.
> 
> Forgot to mention, he had the inside lined with tinfoil to reflect the heat.


Sounds like a homemade easy bake oven! That is pretty much how they are made, except the toy ovens are made from plastic.


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## Oldcountryboy (Feb 23, 2008)

Sounds like what you need is the Pocket Cooker. It's a little stove that collapses and will almost fit in your back pocket. When you get it set up, you can build a small fire inside it using basically twiggs, pinecones, about anything small and set your canned chili, soup, etc. on top for a few minutes and you have a hot meal. Great little stove for hicking, fishing, hunting or traveling lightly.


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## candyknitter (Apr 23, 2009)

About 15 years ago there was a report that cooking with aluminum saucepans could cause dementia, I don't know if it was ever disproved but I do know that my grandparents had the old fashoned aluminum saucepans (dull rough feeling grey ones) and they both developed dementia despite them being lifelong vegetarians, healthy, active both mentally and physically and no family history of the disease. It's enough to make me choose to avoid it.


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## Old John (May 27, 2004)

candyknitter said:


> About 15 years ago there was a report that cooking with aluminum saucepans could cause dementia, I don't know if it was ever disproved but I do know that my grandparents had the old fashoned aluminum saucepans (dull rough feeling grey ones) and they both developed dementia despite them being lifelong vegetarians, healthy, active both mentally and physically and no family history of the disease. It's enough to make me choose to avoid it.


About that same time I switched to all stainless steel and cast iron cookware.
I already had the cast iron, about a ton. But I got rid of every piece of aluminum in the house. I figured I do Not want to be Demented.


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## stef (Sep 14, 2002)

Cabin Fever said:


> Like some of the others, we routinely heat food in their cans when cooking on the campfire. Been doing this for the past four and 1/2 decades. The can does not come in contact with any flame. It's just nuzzled down next to some campfire coals. (*Is "nuzzled" a word?)*




It 'tis, indeed. 

nuzzle

(courtesy of Merriam and Webster)

Main Entry: *nuzÂ·zle *
Pronunciation: \&#712;n&#601;-z&#601;l\
Function: verb 
Inflected Form(s): nuzÂ·zled; nuzÂ·zling \&#712;n&#601;z-li&#331;, &#712;n&#601;-z&#601;-\
Etymology: Middle English noselen to bring the nose toward the ground, from nose
Date: 1530
intransitive verb
1 : to work with or as if with the nose; especially : to root, rub, or snuff something
2 : to lie close or snug
transitive verb
1 : to root, rub, or touch with or as if with the nose
2 : to rub or push gently (as one's face) against something


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