The domestic market is improving, and the overseas market is very active.

Taking out a can of peach canned fruit from the refrigerator, savoring the coolness of summer; dipping slices of Meilin lunch meat into a hot pot, leaving a lip-smacking taste; opening a can of preserved bean curd, pairing it with white rice, and enjoying a delicious meal... Meilin lunch meat, preserved bean curd, peach canned fruit—these foods have sweetened the childhood memories of many. However, with the continuous improvement of living standards, people have raised more concerns about canned food: Why does it have a shelf life of several years? Does it contain preservatives? Is it healthy? How does the canned food industry respond to these concerns and gain more trust?

Misconception: Freshness without relying on preservatives

In a convenient food section of a supermarket in Chaoyang District, Beijing, shoppers frequently stop to select products. Zhang, a woman born in the 1960s, picked up a can, briefly examined the packaging information, and placed it back. She told the reporter, 'I loved eating canned food when I was young. Having a piece of lunch meat and a slice of peach made me feel incredibly happy. Now, I'm a bit concerned about its healthiness. The fact that it can last so long probably means it contains a lot of preservatives. I basically don't eat lunch meat anymore, but I can't let go of peach canned fruit. I only eat three or four cans a year.'

'Mostly, I eat bread with jam in the morning and rarely consume meat-canned products,' another consumer, Mr. Ma, said.

Some consumers express sentiments like 'freshly prepared food is more nutritious and healthy' and 'when soaked in soup, you can't tell what the raw materials are exactly'...

"In recent years, people's awareness of health has been continuously increasing. Some consumers think that the long shelf life of canned food is due to the addition of a large amount of preservatives. However, this is actually a misconception. Canned food does not need to add preservatives. Instead, it uses heat sterilization and sealing processes to achieve commercial asepsis and vacuum preservation, ensuring the color, flavor, and taste of the food," said Liu Youqian, the director of the China Canned Food Industry Association.

Liu Youqian told reporters that the invention of canned food technology predates the industrial application of food preservatives. Food spoilage and deterioration are directly related to microorganisms. If harmful microorganisms are eliminated or their growth is inhibited, the food is naturally less prone to spoilage. Canned food uses sterilization processes to eliminate harmful microorganisms and utilizes vacuum technology to prevent the possible growth of microorganisms in an anaerobic environment, thereby maintaining the freshness of the food.

However, the absence of the need for preservatives does not mean that all canned foods are free of preservatives. Some canned products, due to technological requirements or the introduction of other ingredients, may contain some preservatives. Liu Youqian said, 'For example, some meat-canned products may use nitrite as an auxiliary material to enrich the flavor and color. If these auxiliary products contain preservatives, it may lead to the detection of preservatives in canned products.'

Even without various preservatives, some consumers are still concerned about the relatively long shelf life of canned food, questioning its freshness. At the Mengshui Food Group Co., Ltd. in Pingyi County, Linyi City, Shandong Province, each bottle of peach canned fruit must undergo a standardized process before being shipped. From picking in their own 10,000-mu peach orchard to processing in the factory, it generally takes only five to six hours. By quickly processing and sealing the freshness, the company ensures the freshness of canned products and preserves the nutritional value of the fruits. The director of the company, Meng Xiangshan, explained, 'We also trim off prickly edges, remove residual skin fragments, blemishes, and bruises to ensure product quality.'

Meng Xiangshan admitted that when a large batch of fruits and vegetables is harvested, the workshop may not be able to process them all at once, so they need to be stored in a cold storage. However, fresh fruits are already stored and transported for some time before being sold in the market, accompanied by a significant loss of nutrients. Therefore, in terms of nutritional value, canned fruits and vegetables may not be lower than fresh ones. On the contrary, the more thorough sterilization process makes canned food superior in terms of safety

New Look - Delicious Flavors Enter Canned Food.

A reporter also visited a supermarket in Haidian District, Beijing, where a young woman selected several cans of lunch meat and fish canning, all in small packages. She said, 'Old brands are trustworthy. The main reason is that when I don't have time to cook, I give them to my child. I don't want to order takeout either. Canned food can be cooked into tasty dishes with simple preparation.' She added, 'Besides, with the pandemic fluctuating, it's necessary to stock up on supplies at home.'

'The COVID-19 pandemic has prompted some consumers to rethink canned food. Fresh food is prone to spoilage, while canned food has a longer shelf life and doesn't take up refrigerator space,' said Zhang Qingfeng, Vice President of Shanghai Meilin Zhengguanghe Co., Ltd. 'Previously, some consumers only tried canned lunch meat. Under the normalization of epidemic prevention, Meilin's canned dishes such as oil-braised bamboo shoots and braised pork have more opportunities to directly reach consumers. This year, our factory has been operating at full capacity, and revenue is expected to exceed 1.8 billion yuan, with a growth rate of over 30%.'

The reporter visited multiple supermarkets and found that canned food sales in Beijing are doing well. A salesperson said, 'Fish and meat canned food sells quickly, and old brands like Meilin and Yingjinqian have a high replenishment frequency.'

The pandemic is just one factor contributing to the turnaround of the canned food industry. Consumer trends such as 'home economy' and 'single-person meals' have also brought new opportunities for canned food enterprises.