Since their invention, tin cans have been a popular way to preserve food products that otherwise would quickly go bad. Tin cans are in some ways responsible for changing the way people cook and eat. Over the years, tin cans gave way to cans made of other cheaper materials, but they are still often called tin cans.
Tin cans were invented in England by merchant Peter Durand, who received a patent for it in 1810. The first canning factory opened in England in 1813.
Tin cans are used to store foods such as fruits and vegetables in an airtight container that helps preserve them for long periods of time.
Cans are no longer made entirely of tin. For much of the 20th century, cans were made primarily of tinplate steel. In the 1960s, aluminum cans were introduced and, because they can be made more cheaply, replaced tin cans.
Can sizes are standard in the United States. There are various sizes, from small cans containing one serving of a food item to large cans intended for distribution to schools, restaurants, and so forth. Outside the United States, can sizes are different because they are based on the metric system.
Tin and aluminum cans are recyclable, but only slightly more than half of cans used in the United States are.