Aluminum cans are safe for most drinks when the can is intact, clean, sealed, and made for food contact.
A cold can of sparkling water, soda, beer, or iced coffee is usually a low-risk choice. The drink is not meant to sit against bare aluminum. Beverage cans have an inner coating that separates the liquid from the metal, helps protect flavor, and slows corrosion from acidic drinks.
The real answer depends on the can’s condition, the drink inside, and how the can was stored. A clean, unopened can from a trusted brand is a different case than a swollen can, a leaking can, or a can that sat in a hot car for weeks.
Here’s the plain test: if the can is clean, not damaged, not bulging, not leaking, and the drink smells normal, drinking from it is fine for most adults. If any of those checks fail, toss it. A cheap drink is never worth a gamble.
Drinking From Aluminum Cans: What Changes The Risk
Beverage cans are built as food-contact packaging. The outside is aluminum; the inside usually has a thin coating. That coating matters because many canned drinks are acidic. Cola, citrus soda, energy drinks, kombucha, wine spritzers, and hard seltzers can all react with bare metal over time.
Food packaging in the United States falls under FDA oversight for materials that touch food or drink. The agency’s food-contact packaging rules explain how packaging substances are reviewed before lawful use.
So the safety question is less about “aluminum equals bad” and more about the whole package. The can, liner, lid, pull tab, seam, storage, and drink formula all matter. A sealed can is designed as a system. Once it is dented, pierced, heated, frozen hard, or left open, that system loses some protection.
What The Inner Liner Does
The liner is a thin barrier. It keeps the drink from picking up a metallic taste, and it helps stop the drink from breaking down the can wall. Federal rules allow resinous and polymeric coatings for food-contact surfaces when they meet set conditions. The resinous and polymeric coatings rule describes that kind of barrier over metal.
You won’t see the liner unless the can is cut open, and you shouldn’t cut one just to check. Use visible clues instead. A can that looks sound, opens with normal pressure, and pours a drink with normal smell and taste passes the daily test.
What About BPA In Can Linings?
BPA is the can-lining topic that gets the most attention. Some can coatings once relied on BPA-based epoxy resins. Many brands now use BPA-NI or other liners, yet the exact coating may not be listed on the label.
The FDA says BPA is safe at current levels found in foods for approved packaging uses. EFSA took a stricter view in 2023 and lowered its intake threshold for BPA after a new safety review; its bisphenol A review explains that change.
That split doesn’t mean each canned drink is unsafe. It means cautious buyers may prefer brands that state “BPA-NI lining,” rotate canned drinks with glass or cartons, and avoid storing cans in heat. That is a reasonable choice, not a panic button.
If you drink canned beverages daily, vary the package when easy. A glass bottle at home and cans on errands is a sensible mix. This lowers repeat contact with one package type while keeping the convenience that makes cans handy. It also cuts waste from half-finished cans, since glass is easier to reseal.
| Can Or Drink Clue | What It May Mean | Best Move |
|---|---|---|
| Clean, sealed, no dents | The can looks fit for normal use | Drink it if smell and taste are normal |
| Small side dent away from seams | Usually a shipping mark, not a failure | Use soon; skip if the dent is sharp |
| Dent on top, bottom, or seam | The seal may be stressed | Discard it |
| Bulging or swollen can | Gas buildup or spoilage may be present | Do not open near your face; discard it |
| Leak, sticky residue, or dried liquid | The seal may have failed | Discard it |
| Metallic smell or odd flavor | Liner damage or drink spoilage is possible | Stop drinking it |
| Rust-colored stain or white powdery corrosion | Moisture and metal breakdown may be present | Skip the can |
| Can left in strong heat | Flavor and packaging quality may suffer | Replace it when you can |
When A Can Should Go Straight In The Trash
The fastest safety check is visual. Put the can under good light and scan the top rim, bottom rim, side seam, and pull tab. Dents in the middle of the side wall are less worrying than dents that hit a seam or rim.
Don’t drink from a can that is swollen, hisses wildly, sprays without shaking, leaks, smells rotten, or has dried liquid near the seam. That applies to soda and seltzer too, not only beer or dairy-style drinks. Pressure should match the drink. A soda should hiss; a still tea should not act like a shaken cola.
Clean The Top Before You Sip
The outside of a can travels through warehouses, trucks, store shelves, coolers, hands, and bags. The lid is not sterile. Wiping or rinsing the top takes seconds and removes dust, grime, and anything picked up along the way.
- Rinse the top under water when you can.
- Use a clean napkin or towel if water isn’t handy.
- Pour into a cup when the can came from an outdoor bin or dusty cooler.
- Skip cans with sticky tops or broken pull tabs.
How To Store Aluminum Cans At Home
Storage has a quiet effect on taste and can quality. A pantry, cabinet, or fridge is better than a garage that swings from hot to cold. Heat can make flavors go flat, speed chemical movement from packaging, and raise pressure in carbonated drinks.
Freezing can be a problem too. Liquid expands as it freezes, which can deform the can, strain seams, or cause a leak. If a can froze solid and changed shape, don’t thaw it and drink it. Replace it.
| Storage Choice | Why It Helps | Simple Rule |
|---|---|---|
| Cool pantry | Steady temperature protects taste | Good for unopened cans |
| Fridge | Cold slows flavor loss after chilling | Good for drinks you’ll use soon |
| Hot car | Heat can raise pressure and dull flavor | Avoid long stays |
| Freezer | Expansion can split seams | Use a timer if chilling fast |
| Open can in fridge | Air changes taste and freshness | Move leftovers to a lidded glass |
After Opening, Treat The Can As Temporary
An opened can is no longer a sealed package. Air gets in, flavor fades, carbonation drops, and the drink can pick up off notes. If you won’t finish it soon, pour the drink into a lidded glass or food-safe bottle and refrigerate it.
This matters most for acidic drinks, dairy-style coffees, protein drinks, juices, and cocktails. Don’t leave an open can on the counter overnight. Don’t drink from a can that has been open long enough to smell stale, sour, or yeasty.
Who May Want To Be More Careful
Most healthy adults don’t need to avoid canned drinks solely because of the can. People trying to reduce BPA exposure may choose brands that name their liner, buy more glass bottles, or cut back on canned foods and drinks as a group.
Parents may want the same approach for children, since smaller bodies can get more exposure per pound. Pregnant people may prefer glass or cartons when the choice is easy. Anyone with a medical diet or metal sensitivity concern should follow personal care advice from a licensed clinician.
Best Practical Answer
Aluminum cans are safe to drink from when they’re intact, clean, and stored well. The can itself is not the main worry; damage, heat, failed seals, odd smells, and long storage after opening are the real things to watch.
Use this simple routine each time:
- Check the can for swelling, leaks, sharp dents, and broken tabs.
- Rinse or wipe the top before drinking.
- Pour into a glass if the lid looks dirty.
- Keep unopened cans cool and dry.
- Move leftovers out of the can after opening.
That gives you the benefit of canned drinks without treating each can like a hazard. Trust the normal can, reject the damaged one, and store the rest with a little common sense.
References & Sources
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration.“Packaging & Food Contact Substances.”Lists FDA pages for packaging materials that touch food and drink.
- Electronic Code of Federal Regulations.“21 CFR 175.300 Resinous and Polymeric Coatings.”Sets conditions for resinous and polymeric coatings on food-contact surfaces.
- European Food Safety Authority.“Bisphenol A and Other Bisphenols.”Gives EFSA’s safety review history for BPA in food-contact materials.
Mo Maruf
I created WellFizz to bridge the gap between vague wellness advice and actionable solutions. My mission is simple: to decode the research and give you practical tools you can actually use.
Beyond the data, I am a passionate traveler. I believe that stepping away from the screen to explore new environments is essential for mental clarity and physical vitality.