Ask The Brewmasters

What would be the appropriate incubation temperature for a forced aluminum can corrosion assay?  In the case of microbial stability we incubate the sample at 37°C to force microbial growth.  In the case of VDK analysis we force the oxidation of alpha acetolactate to diacetyl at 50°C.  What would be the appropriate incubation temperature to assess the potential for aluminum can corrosion by a potentially corrosive beverage?

The goal would be to assess in a week or two or three the likelihood that the can would corrode and leak before the six month self life expiration of the beverage.

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Matthew Cottrell
Quality Manager and Microbiologist
Heavy Seas Beer
Baltimore MD
(302) 430-3489
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In our regulated world (FDA and EPA), the forced corrosion studies are typically run at 54c over two weeks. The concern is not whether your microbes thrive, but if acids and other stuff in your cans will corrode the can, lid, or liner. It is usually done by visual inspection, but also weight change (without content).
You will find test guidelines for FDA, EPA, and other regulatory agencies (international), if you dig deep enough online.
Best
Volker

Sent from my iPhone
Volker Bornemann, Ph.D.
Avazyme, Inc.

Hey Matthew, 

I would highly recommend reaching out to your can supplier/manufacturer for insight into how your product may interact with the can liner. Typically the manufacturer will conduct testing for you and help to find a suitable liner for your specific product. If you have different products that could be of concern, they would want to test all of them to ensure they would be compatible with your cans or could suggest a different liner type that would be compatible. If your product types vary enough, they might even suggest different can liners for the different types of products.

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Tim Lozen
Packaging Quality Manager
Bell's Brewery, Michigan
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