Is cooking tinned food using the tin as its own 'billy can' over a fire safe. Many moons ago in the cadets I remember being told not to do this as you can get poisonend, is it true?
Is it an urban myth?
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There may have been a time when tin cans had lead-soldered joints, but the reason they are said to be "tinned" is that they were usually coated (and soldered) with tin, which is non-poisonous.
However, today's cans, both tinned-steel and alumium (aluminium), are usually coated on the inside with a plastic resin that prevents the contents from reacting with the metal of the can.
If you cook in the can itself, the plastic resin can break down and contaminate your food. So it's probably not a good idea to make a practice of cooking in the can.
However, today's cans, both tinned-steel and alumium (aluminium), are usually coated on the inside with a plastic resin that prevents the contents from reacting with the metal of the can.
If you cook in the can itself, the plastic resin can break down and contaminate your food. So it's probably not a good idea to make a practice of cooking in the can.
on some tins that plastic is an oestrogen mimicking compound. if you cooked that way too much, and you were a man, you may start to develop extra body parts!!! :yikes:
Professor Soto in the US found that breast cancer cells were proliferating in his laboratory plastic dishes as though they were in the presence of oestrogen (2). He concluded that something in the dish was acting in a similar fashion to oestrogen. He found the agent to be nonyl-phenol, a widely used anti-oxidant, which is used widely as a spermicide foam so is presumed to be safe. The plastic lining of many tin cans and food wrapping contain lots of these plastics e.g. pthalates, and it has been found that these can leach into the contents, especially vegetables and fatty foods (2 and 6). Similarly for years dentists have widely used these sorts of agent in fillings. In these patients oestrogen like compounds have been found at high concentration in their saliva (2). Thus we are being exposed to and eating food-containing man made oestrogens all of the time unknowingly.
source It seems that sweets don't only rot your teeth
source It seems that sweets don't only rot your teeth
"Professor Soto in the US found that breast cancer cells were proliferating in his laboratory plastic dishes as though they were in the presence of oestrogen (2). He concluded that something in the dish was acting in a similar fashion to oestrogen. He found the agent to be nonyl-phenol, a widely used anti-oxidant, which is used widely as a spermicide foam so is presumed to be safe. The plastic lining of many tin cans and food wrapping contain lots of these plastics e.g. pthalates, and it has been found that these can leach into the contents, especially vegetables and fatty foods (2 and 6). Similarly for years dentists have widely used these sorts of agent in fillings. In these patients oestrogen like compounds have been found at high concentration in their saliva (2). Thus we are being exposed to and eating food-containing man made oestrogens all of the time unknowingly." source It seems that sweets don't only rot your teeth
SimonM
Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
and other body parts may start to dissapear
Combine that with the effects of cold weather bushcrafting and you could really be in trouble.
Simon
Whilst most if not all food in can's is already cooked, all that is required is to warm the food up, this can be done safely by immersing the can in hot water and bringing to boil and simmer for a time, cant really think why you would want to cook, or heat up anything in its own container by direct heat as surly it would burn anyway, best thing is to purchase a set of mess tins, pack them with food, put them in a 58Patt Kidney pouch attach to belt, jobs a good un.
Regards Bill
Regards Bill
It's probably not "safe", but when options are depleted, you can do it. The big risk I'd be worried about would be the can exploding, either on the fire or in your face when you open it. Put a dent in the top of the can first, and when the dent pops back out, take it off the fire and let it cool for a few minutes before opening.
You're not going to suffer serious effects from either oestrogen or lead solder unless you're living on canned food for a significant period of time. The classic example of the latter is the Franklin expedition to discover the Northwest Passage - their food supply was very heavily contaminated with lead, and they still lasted a couple of years.
You're not going to suffer serious effects from either oestrogen or lead solder unless you're living on canned food for a significant period of time. The classic example of the latter is the Franklin expedition to discover the Northwest Passage - their food supply was very heavily contaminated with lead, and they still lasted a couple of years.
Well that explains it! When i was a nipper a buddy/mentor of mine ex forces and all that explained that they would open their issued tins and place on top of a hexi cooker and as long as it wa sstirred it would be okay to eat. Hhhmmmm the last year I have been buying Liddles Stews in a tin with a ring pull top (excellent stew and is a whole meal in itself!) and after pulling the top off, have placed the can on the embers and stirred until it simmered and ate it out the tin! 
There's been no side effects, honest Now where did I put my manbag?pmsl
xylaria
Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
We regulary heat tinned food in the can when we do day walks. I find tinned food too heavy for camping. The kids favorite is sponge puddings that are designed to be heated in the can. The lid is taken off and then placed back on, the contents can burn if placed in too hot a fire. I tried a goblin meat pudding but they are really nasty. Lidl ravioli is very nice. As long as the food isn't over heated I can't see a problem, burning however can lead to a noticable metal taste, which I can see as maybe harmful.
You can get puddings made of goblin meat!? :yikes:
Yeah, I'd expect that to be pretty nasty...
xylaria
Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
I wish, having real goblin meat in it would be an improvement. Think of lard mixed with flour as an outer and oilyness with tiny fragments of chappy dog food as the filling. They are designed to be heated in the tin, but they are the nastiest thing I have ever eaten that was sold as human food. Winalot and a stale pitta bread would be so much more desirable.
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