Steel and tin cans

Rigid metal containers, usually made from steel coated with tin or another protective material, for packaging food, beverages, and other products.

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Tinplate: Thin steel sheet coated with a layer of tin. Tinplate is the traditional steel stock used to make many food cans.
Drawn and ironed can: A seamless metal can body formed by drawing a blank and ironing its walls thinner. This process makes the familiar lightweight, two-piece beverage can.
Nicolas Appert: French confectioner whose heat-preservation method helped establish modern food canning. His preservation work preceded the development of practical metal cans.
Canned food: Food preserved and stored in sealed containers, often after heat processing. Steel cans remain a major package for shelf-stable food.
Shelf-stable food: Food that can be stored safely at room temperature for an extended period while unopened. Sealed, heat-processed cans make many foods shelf-stable.
Tin-free steel: Steel sheet protected by a chromium-based surface treatment rather than a tin coating. It offers an alternative to tinplate for can bodies and ends.
Three-piece can: A can assembled from a cylindrical body, a side seam, and two ends. Its construction is common for many foods and products requiring robust containers.
Peter Durand: English merchant who received an 1810 patent for preserving food in tin-coated iron vessels. His patent describes an early metal food container associated with canning.
Beverage can: A sealed metal container designed to package drinks for storage and consumption. Steel is used for some beverage cans, though aluminum is more common in many markets.
Food security: Reliable access to sufficient, safe, and nutritious food. Canning supports storage and distribution beyond the harvest season.