The origins of canned food
Mar 02,2022
In 1809, global trade was thriving, yet sailors who spent extended periods aboard ships often fell ill—some even developing scurvy, a life-threatening condition caused by the lack of fresh vegetables and fruits in their diet. Frustrated by this issue, the French government offered a generous prize of 12,000 francs to anyone who could devise a reliable method for preserving food over long periods. Driven by the prospect of winning the reward, countless individuals threw themselves into intensive research efforts. Among them were the French couple Appert, who ran a successful candied-food business. Devoting themselves wholeheartedly to experimentation and innovation, they finally cracked the problem: by sealing food inside wide-mouthed glass jars, capping them with wooden stoppers, heating the jars in a steam bath, and then tightly resealing the stoppers with wax, they created what would become the world’s first canned goods. Appert and his wife were promptly rewarded by the French government—and their invention quickly won the enthusiastic approval of sailors everywhere. Today, "canning" remains a vital method of food preservation, applied not only to beverages like canned sodas, coffee, juices, frozen milk teas, and even beer but also to a wide array of preserved foods, such as canned luncheon meats, packaged in durable tinplate containers. While traditional can openers are still commonly used, modern innovations have introduced easy-open technologies inspired by the design of aluminum cans, making it simpler than ever to enjoy these convenient, long-lasting food options.
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