Is it safe to eat canned food often during pregnancy?

What is in it

Canned food can add tin to the diet. ATSDR says people can be exposed to tin when they eat food or drink liquids from tin-lined cans. Lacquered cans have lower tin levels than unlacquered cans, and tin levels rise when food is stored in opened cans.

This does not mean one can of beans is a crisis. The bigger issue is a daily canned-food habit during pregnancy, especially acidic foods like fruit, juice, and tomato products.

What the research says

A 2026 study in Environmental Toxicology found that higher maternal tin levels were associated with higher neural tube defect risk. In animal experiments, tributyltin exposure during pregnancy caused fetal neural tube defects through oxidative stress and MAPK signaling.

That study does not prove that one canned meal harms a baby. It does support a careful rule during pregnancy: lower repeat tin exposure when the swap is easy.

What to do

Use glass jars for tomato sauce, fruit, and shelf-stable foods when you can. Frozen fruits and vegetables are also good daily options.

If you use canned food, skip badly dented or damaged cans. Drain and rinse canned beans and vegetables. After opening a can, move leftovers into a glass container instead of storing food in the opened can.