The steel can, the preferred packaging for preserving the color, flavor and texture of canned foods, is not only 100% and infinitely recyclable, it also prevents thousands of tons of food from being thrown away every day. According to a study by the European Association of Steel Can Manufacturers (APEAL), one of the main reasons why fresh food is thrown in the trash is the natural deterioration caused by bacteria found in the environment. In the can, however, perishable foods, such as fruits, vegetables, meat and fish, are preserved for up to three years (or more), which prevents disposal.
According to a global survey by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the food safety agency of the United Nations (UN), about 45% of fruits, vegetables, roots and tubers produced worldwide end up in the trash at some stage of the year. process, whether during harvesting, shipping to the market or at the consumer's home, during the preparation of meals or leftover food. Among fish and seafood, the waste rate reaches 35%.
According to Thaís Fagury, food engineer and president of Brazilian Association of Steel Packaging (Abeaço), foods packed in steel cans are completely protected from oxygen, preventing the food from spoiling. “The can is a natural barrier against the action of microorganisms”, he explains. “A kilo of fresh tomatoes, bought at the fair, will last for about a week in the fridge. There will always be one that will get dented or even moldy and end up in the trash. A can of peeled tomatoes, on the other hand, lasts a long time in the pantry and can be fully used”, she exemplifies, noting that as canned vegetables are harvested during the harvest period and immediately go to processing, waste along the production chain is also reduced.
The food engineer points out that food consumption in natura is always the most recommended by health authorities. “But on a day-to-day basis, consumers are not always able to find the food they need to have a balanced diet. Among all types of packaging for canned food, the steel can is the one that guarantees the most health, sustainability, nutrition and less waste.”
Thaís Fagury also remembers that one of the advantages of steel packaging is to offer food already portioned, which avoids buying more than necessary. "Rarely will the consumer open a can of corn, sardines or other food to prepare a recipe and have leftover ingredients", he points out.
Discover the nutritional qualities of three canned foods that are among the most consumed by Brazilians:
Sardine: one of the most common types of protein at Brazilian tables, because it is delicious and affordable, canned sardines are rich in protein, Vitamin D and Omega 3, an important fat for cardiovascular health. In addition, it is a source of calcium. A can of sardines has more than 460 mg of the mineral, important for the health of teeth and bones, against 372 mg of the same amount of fresh baked fish, since in this way of preparing the bones are usually discarded, as they become hard and cannot be be consumed. While frozen fish should be consumed within one year, depending on the freezing process, the approximate shelf life in steel cans is three years.
Tomatoes: A real wildcard in the housewives' pantry, canned tomatoes, either in the form of extract, sauce or the peeled type, are rich in vitamin C and lycopene, natural antioxidants that fight free radicals. Canned tomato sauce even has more lycopene than homemade tomato sauce, due to the filling process: the tomato is cooked inside the can. The shelf life of canned tomatoes is about two years. Homemade fresh tomato sauce lasts about three months in the freezer and a few days in the fridge.
Corn: in addition to being very practical, since it is not necessary to thresh the cereal, canned corn has about 40% fewer calories than raw corn. As it is threshed before cooking, which takes place inside the can, there is no transfer of fats and carbohydrates from the cob to the grains, as in common corn. A can of corn lasts about two years. On the other hand, fresh corn on the cob begins to lose texture and flavor in about three days.
