Canned food was discovered in the late 18th Century, and it has evolved from being a novelty to a staple in many of our diets. The French military is credited for inventing the first canning process, as a way to preserve food for long-term storage.
The idea of preserving food by sealing it in airtight containers dates back to the early 1790s when Napoleon Bonaparte offered a cash prize to anyone who could find an effective way of preserving food. Nicolas Appert, a French confectioner, won the prize by developing a method that included sealing food in glass jars and then heating them until they were sterilized. He called his method “canning” because the glass containers he used were shaped like cans.
It wasn’t until 1810 that an Englishman named Peter Durand invented a more practical and durable way of canning food by using tin-plated steel containers instead of glass jars. These cans were stronger, lighter, and less likely to break than their glass counterparts. This new invention allowed for much longer shelf life for canned goods, as well as safer handling during shipping and storage.
The popularity of canned foods grew steadily throughout the 19th Century and into the 20th Century thanks to advances in technology that allowed for better sealing methods and improved production processes. By World War I, canned foods had become so popular that they were being used as field rations by soldiers in both Europe and America. Today, canned foods are found in almost every grocery store across the world, with many varieties available to suit any dietary need or preference.
Conclusion:
Canned food was first discovered in the late 18th Century by French military forces as a way to preserve food for long-term storage. Over time this method has evolved with advances in technology allowing for better sealing methods and improved production processes leading to its widespread popularity today.