The flavor storyFor nearly all of our food and drinks, taste preservation comes from a unique harmony between material characteristics as well as technology.Aluminum is the most protective packaging material against light! These are typically aluminum cans, lined with a sealer that should provide as near-impenetrable an environment for the liquid within (bar ungloved handling - of course) to prevent it from being materially impacted by light, oxygen and other flavour compromising adulterants. Aluminum cans can block 100% of light, an characteristic that prevents the degradation of light-sensitive beverages like beer according to Aluminum Association.
These cans are lined with an internal coating that is essential to the preservation of taste. The polymer coating inside a beverage can prevents the drink from reacting with aluminum and spoiling its taste. Food-safe: The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the United States requires that all such coatings be food safe, so they must not change the taste of whatever is being stored inside. From the 1960s, this coating technology has come a long way and subsequently led to modern cans being extremely successful in keeping the taste according to its intended flavor.
The best way to quickly cool beverages is by using cans. Its thermal conductivity (235 watts per meter Kelvin or W/m·K) is also advantageous for fast and effective cooling, as it absorbs heat quickly. The fast cooling also helps the drinks keep its characteristics, which in a hot weather is important to conserve the appropriate taste. A study performed by Ball Corporation, one of the leading manufacturers in cans has shown that aluminium beverage cans cooled 50% faster than glass bottles.
Aluminum beverage cans are incredibly environmentally friendly. In 2020, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) reported an aluminum can recycling rate of 50.4% in the U.S., according to data from a press release from EPA published earlier this year. This high level of recycling guarantees recycled content can be easily reintroduced into the alu packs before being walked through any new in plant manufacturing, thereby reducing both virgin alumina production as well as its linked beverage packaging carbon footprint. On top of this new aluminum takes 95 % more energy to be produced and because ten times less power is needed to create a can from scrap much resources are saved in terms of electrical usage.
Leading brands such as Coca-Cola and PepsiCo use aluminum cans for selling their beverages because it preserves flavor, more importantly keeping the consumer happy. One example is Coca-Cola who claims Aluminum cans create a hermetic seal that locks in freshness and flavour to provide the shelf life of its beverages for long durations.
The low cost of aluminum cans is another reason why they are so commonly used. According to the Beverage Marketing Corporation (BMC), aluminum cans are a value for both production and transit cushioned by their lightweight, coupled with more strength compared to glass bottles. When compared to all those shipping and packaging expenses their drinks are incredibly cost effective, which means fairer prices for consumers and larger margins of profit for the beverage companies.
In industry practice, flavor costs less and tastes better in the trade-off of aluminum beverage cans (cans do not directly absorb light like glass) because advanced coating technology prevents shelf time up to 6 months a long protects from heat faster then any other can material available at very high recycle rate. Their efficacy and economical nature are two big reasons that make them the first choice of many beverage businesses. To find out more, go to Aluminum Beverage Cans