In my experience, it's not the can, it's the plastic. The pouch meals used by the Canadian Armed Forces ("Freddy Chef" is the commercial version -- try the "chili con carnage") would stink up the water terribly, though the food in the pouch was not tainted. I'm sure if you drank that water you'd be ill.<br><br>Note, though, that cans seem to add an unusual flavour to the water. I prefer stainless steel cookware. If I'm using a can, I boil the jeepers out of it and discard the water before I cook with it.