Canning and Fish Packaging Technology

Unit 2 - Historical developments in canning technology

2.1.Historical developments in canning technology
It is well known that man learnt the art of food preservation even in the prehistoric days. However, the principle of food enclosed in a can/bottle and subjecting it to heat so that the food could be preserved for a long time was developed by Nicholas Appert, a French confectioner.

In the early 17th century, the scientific community was involved in establishing whether life develops from the living things or from lifeless materials. John Needham in 1745 put heated food in clean bottles and the food spoiled in few days due to microorganisms and he gave the theory of spontaneous generation of life. However, later it was realized that he had forgotten to use cleaned sanitised lids or closures which led to microbial contamination.

Napoleon, the then ruler of France, had ambition to conquer greater part of the world. The French army moved not only throughout Europe but also to Africa, Asia and East Indies Islands. As French sailors of the navy had to remain in sea for a long time and during this period they depended on dried foods, salted foods. Several of them died because of diseases including nutritional deficiency like scurvy. This made Napoleon to announce a prize of 12,000 Franks to anyone who preserves food for a long time without any loss of nutrients. Food was the main business of Nicholas Appert, and this announcement attracted him to prepare various foods in proper manner. He filled them in glass containers and closed air tight using closures and subjected to heat treatment. He worked from 1795 to 1804 and preserved more than 50 food products. The products were given to French Navy officers to verify whether the products remained good not only in temperate climate but also in the tropics, where the temperature is high.

Appert’s work not only got several accolades for him, but also responsible for the development of several food preservation industries in various countries. The method of preservation described by Appert is more or less the same as followed even today and thus referred to as Appertization.

The present day canning technology has evolved from inputs from different fields like food microbiology, can making technology and the science of heat processing.