Appert, Nicolas

Appert, Nicolas. (1752-1841). A French pioneer in the science of food preservation. Though not a chemist, his work on application of heat to food products led to a form of home preserving that eventually developed into the canning industry. The idea of destroying bacteria by heat treatment was later applied more exhaustively by Pasteur. 

The modem packaging industry can be traced back as far as 1810 when the French pharmacist Nicolas Appert invented the canning process. Modem civilisation requires a continuous and reliable supply of safe and high-quality food. Since unprotected food is liable to deteriorate rapidly, it is necessary to provide appropriate protection and, although many other protective methodologies are currently in use, a prime feature of modem food protection is packaging. 

In 1797, Napoleon Bonaparte offered a prize for anyone who could develop a new method for preserving foods on naval vessels. Nicolas Appert won for his foods preserved in glass jars. In 1910, Englishman Peter Durand used the same process to preserve foods in metal cans. This last was not the healthiest way to preserve food, as many people died of lead poisoning. 

The first portable preserved food was the result of a challenge issued by Napoleon Bonaparte in the early 1800s, when he offered 12,000 francs to anyone who could successfully devise a method of preserving food for his army and navy. Nicolas Appert was able to do just that using sterilization to store food in bottles in 1809. 

In 1955, France began circulating a twelve-franc postal stamp featuring Nicolas Francois Appert and his food-preserving bottling process. 

Preserving food in sealed glass bottles (Nicolas Appert) Appert answers Napoleon s call to preserve food in a wray that allows his soldiers to carry it with them He processes food in sealed, air-tight glass bottles. 

Preserving food in tin cans (Peter Durand) Durand follows Nicolas Appert in preserving food for the French army, but he uses tin-coated steel cans in place of breakable bottles. 

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