Aluminum Concentration in Cans
Cans vs Glass Bottles
Cans are known to be more eco-friendly, easily recyclable, less expensive per unit, and easier to store and ship than other packaging options. As a company that is committed to promoting environmental sustainability and reducing costs for our customers, we conducted a comprehensive study before making our decision. At first glance, from a corporate perspective, it seemed like a sound decision to consider the advantages of switching to cans. Numerous companies have shifted towards canning sour and low pH drinks, leading to a rapid growth in this trend. Recently, Gavin Sack’s lab at Cornell University conducted studies on canned wines and “hard-to-hold” beverages. These studies revealed unexpected results related to the formation of Hydrogen Sulfide in canned wine and high aluminum concentrations in low-pH beverages, particularly canned Kombucha. The proven neurotoxicity in humans and animals is the crucial adverse effect of aluminum. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00204-019-02599-z
Hydrogen Sulfide Formation in Canned Wines
Early in 2023 research was published by Gavin Sack’s lab at Cornell University that reported wines stored in aluminum cans produced 10 times the amount of Hydrogen Sulfide compared to glass. Aluminum is known to react with low pH and low oxygen beverages. (https://www.ajevonline.org/content/74/1/0740011)
Aluminum Can Corrosion in “Hard-to-Hold” Beverages
It has been recently made public that Gavin Sack’s lab at Cornell University has found that can liners of hard-to-hold beverages such as sour beer, energy drinks, and kombucha degrade over time, with dissolved aluminum being a proxy for corrosion. Even only after a month, kombucha consistently contained extremely high levels of aluminum in all types of aluminum can liners – epoxy, BPA, lacquer, and polymer.(https://www.asbcnet.org/events/webinars/Pages/Canning.aspx)
Conclusion
Did you know that America’s first kombucha brand was established by GT Dave in 1995? For almost three decades, they have been using glass bottles to package their Kombucha, which is a natural and inert material made from sand, soda ash, limestone, and recycled glass. The best part is that glass packaging doesn’t need any additional synthetic liners, and it doesn’t pose any risk of harmful chemicals leaching into the beverage. It preserves the taste and quality of the drink, so you can enjoy it whenever you feel like it. And with a reclosable cap, you don’t have to worry about finishing it all at once!
Read also: Fermented beverages can lower blood sugar spikes – KMK Living Inc.