Until the end of the 18th century, foods were preserved by drying, smoking, salting, cooking with sugar, or simply storing root vegetables and grain in dark dry cellars or buildings. Although civilizations have used many ways to preserve food in the last 60-70 thousand years, it is only in the last two hundred that methods have been developed that preserve food in a state that is close to its original fresh form. The first steps toward modern preservation methods were spurred by Napoleon in the 1785. The notable French newspaper Le Monde, prompted by the government, offered a hefty cash award of 12,000 francs to any inventor who could devise a cheap and effective method of preserving large amounts of food. His desire to feed his armies led him to offer a reward for anyone who could devise a safe and reliable way to preserve the food they needed. A French chef named Nicolas Appert began experimenting with food that was heated to very high temperatures and then sealed in an airtight container. His first experiments were successful and over a period of ten years he discovered that different foods must be processed at different temperatures and times according to the amount of acid in the foods.
During this period, those who experimented with home canning used glass jars and a flat tin lid which was sealed with sealing wax. Then in 1858 a tinsmith named John L. Mason invented the Mason™ Jar. His background in tin allowed him to create a machine that would cut threads into metal lids. Now it was possible to mold glass jars with threaded rims that accepted Mason's lids. The amazing thing about all of this is throughout all this experimentation, it was not known why it worked! It was not until the mid 1860's that Louis Pasteur was able to explain that heat processing killed the microorganisms. Canning continued to evolve and in 1882 Harry Putman, invented a fruit jar called the Lightening Jar with a glass lid that could be sealed with metal clamps. The jars were quick and easy to seal and unseal. Jars like this were made until the 1960's in the United States but similar jars are still produced in Europe. While this type of jar is still popular with antique collectors, it was expensive and not as effective as other improvements that were eventually developed. Another type of jar that was popular during this time was the Atlas E-Z Seal jar made by the Hazel-Atlas Glass Company. Its distinguishing mark was the Strong Shoulder™ design which reduced cracking. Innovating beyond Putman were the Ball brothers who had been manufacturing tin cans but switched to glass. These men made canning more practical for the home cook. By 1903 Alexander Kerr and his Hermetic Fruit Jar Company had created the wide mouth jar, making it easier to fill jars. A man named Julius Landsberger invented a metal lid which used a rubber gasket but not far behind him was Kerr who developed the familiar flat lid with a permanent seal. Canning gained popularity again during World War II when the public was encouraged to can the produce of their victory gardens, which helped the government divert much needed food to the armed forces. From those times do we have the fond memories of our grandmothers root cellar filled with dozens of jars of canned foods. Although, it is important to note that many of the processes used during the 40’s and 50’s have been shown to have shortcomings in preventing sickness from spoiled foods. The USDA recommends that people canning at home continually check for the most updated information. Although much experimentation has been done in the last two hundred years, the basic process has not changed very much. High heat is applied to foods packed into airtight containers. One follows the recommended time and temperature guidelines and used the proper method, either Water Bath or Pressure Processing. Today, if proper procedures are followed, home canning is very safe and healthy way to preserve food. The home cook can control the amount of sugar, salt, fat, preservatives and seasonings in home prepared food. Although the availability of high quality foods in grocery stores has encouraged the home cook to abandon canning, there are still many people who prefer to preserve their harvest themselves, ensuring their families will get the highest quality fruits and vegetables possible.
|
