The Canning of Green Bananas. II. Internal Corrosion of Plain Tin Containers by the Acidified Green Bananas

Abstract

Green bananas, acidified in the can with citric acid in a 2% brine and canned in plain tin cans (.751bs/BB inside), were spoiled by complete detinning of the containers when stored at ambient temperature (85-90° F, 29.4-32.2° C) for 3 months. The processed green bananas had a N0₃ as N content ranging from 243 to 417 p/m. In green banana pulp dispersions in citrate and acetate buffers canned in plain tin containers, 1 p/m N0₃ as N dissolved approximately 26 p/m Sn. The high nitrate content of the green bananas was undoubtedly the main factor involved in the detinning of the containers. Water blanching under different conditions of time and temperatures failed to lower the nitrate content of the green bananas. Canning of the acidified green bananas in F enamellined cans did not prove feasible because of the rapid dark discoloration resulting a short time after the cans were opened.