to wonder why baked beans and the like come in round tins, when square ones would make much more sense.

[AwesomePan]

Square ones would make all of the packaging and transporting and storing so much easier and cheaper than having round ones. There isn't any 'freshness' or refrigeration issues, just storing issues. Tea comes in square tins, often.

I know there are more urgent and pressing matters to attend to, such as BGT and events in Yemani, but does anyone know the answer to this?

If they made the beans square they could fit more in

don't get me started on tetrapaks!! Even the spelling!!

Lordy.

asinine - square beans for square tins is for a thread next week.

Errr ok awesome

Bye then

Square dent more easily.

Beans, and other tinned items are very often cooked/pasteurised in the tin at very high temperatures. Tetrapak waould melt.

When cylindrical cans are on the production line, they may be lifted/moved any number of times by mechanical arms with pincer -like claws, or 'suckers'. If the tin is uniform and cylindrical far easier for the machine to get a grip than if the tin had four sides. Also round tins don't have the risk of a corner snagging on some very fast conveyer belts.

InTheNightKitchen - you have seen through me. I knew I couldn't get away with this obvious analogy for much longer, and I should have posted this in Relationships. ( why did ya do it??)

square pegs and round holes. We need Relate.

What about corned beef tins though? They are squar(ish) shaped.

and spam. We have so much trouble with spam.

Fair point AwesomePan. The corners on spam cans are curved, so that prob makes it easier.
Always puzzles me, the shape of corned beef tins one end being narrower, but they have probably been using the same machinery for years?
I wonder if Ye Olde Oak Ham has oval tins to replicate the general shape of a ham?

I used to work in Marketing at Heinz and we used to get loads of "interesting" suggestions from customers. My personal favourite was the suggestion that we put the ring pull ends in both ends of the tin so that the tin was always the right way up for the contents to fall out! Errr turn the tin over? As the ring pull end costs a fraction of a penny more to produce this was never going to be a runner even if it hadn't been COMPLETLY MAD!
They actually make the tins from sheets of steel at the factory in Wigan by the way! or at least they used to 10 years ago.... I remember how disappointed I was to discover ona factory visit that there weren't steaming vats of beans simmering... The beans go into the tin, then a slug of the saiuse, tin is sealed and the beans are "cooked" and turned in the tin on the line!

REALLY, viewfromawindow ???? They get cooked IN the can? No way!!
That has become my favourite fact of the week, and it is only the 1st day! (according to some)

Yes... really! The beans are cooked in the can. Broke my heart finding that out!

Beans, and other tinned items are very often cooked/pasteurised in the tin at very high temperatures. Tetrapak waould melt.

How would you explain the microwave packs and the fridge size jars now then

Those few things that come in square tins (spam, corned beef etc) have "keys" to hep you open them, but if the key falls off you'd spend half an hour trying to get into the damn thing.

The microwave beans taste wrong, I'm sure because of the different method of manufacture.

Cylindrical tins are easier to pasteurise, being a uniform depth to centre to ensure correct cooking time.

Sardines and mackeral are in rectangular tins because they are fillets of fish. Tuna is a hulking gurt fish, and so is chopped up. This means it can fit in round tins (and with all the manufacturing benefits stated above!)

I swear I have bought beans in tetrapak cartons from Sainsbury's quite recently. Might have been Asda. Didn't like it. Felt like pouring milk but was beans.

Feel like some beans on toast now. Or maybe beans and sausages. Versatile little buggers.

easier to scoop out the beans in a round tin.

The is squarish.