This type of tin can be found in tins of preserved food and cans of drinks. It can cause gastric problems to groups of people sensitive to the substance. For preserved food in general (not drinks), the maximum content has been set at 200 mg/kg, and for canned drinks at 100 mg/kg. The maximum permitted content of inorganic tin in preserved food and canned drinks for children is 50 mg/kg of weight when fresh.

Limits for tinned food and canned drinks set below limits specified as suspect by the expert opinion of the Scientific Food Committee, in order to reduce risk to humans. With food intended for infants and young children, and faced with a lack of data, a preventive decision was made by setting the safety limit at half the strictest permitted maximum amount considered safe for an adult.

There is minimal absorption of inorganic tin in the gastrointestinal tract, with 98% being excreted in faeces. As absorption is low, the toxicity of inorganic tin compounds in the system is low, both for humans and animals. Any gastrointestinal effects are caused by acute toxicity from and intake of tin, with irritation of the mucus membrane of the gastrointestinal tract.