"C'est la soupe qui fait Ie soldat. [An army marches on its stomach]."
Attributed to Napoleon Bonaparte
Ntcolas Appect (c. 1750-1841) was a humble Parisian candymaker when he responded to a 12,000-franc- challenge issued by Napoleon Bonaparte in 1795 to anyone who could provide the means to keep his vast armies supplied with fresh food. After experimentation, Appert realized that heating foodstuffs at boiling point for long periods of time helped prevent spoilage. After cooking his food in open kettles, it was then placed inside glass jars and heated until a seal using pitch, cork, and sealing wax was made. As the jar cooled, a vacuum was often created inside the jar removing the air necessary for bacteria to grow, and the lids were then fastened with a metallic thread.
In 1806 the French Navy successfully tested Appert's preserves, which included milk, fruit, and vegetables. In 1809 he was awarded the 12,000-franc prize, and his process came to be known as "appertization." In 1810 Appert published his findings and with his prize money opened the world's first commercial cannery called the House of Appert, in Massy, south of Paris, in 1812.
Unfortunately, Appert was unable to comprehend the nature of sterilization, much less communicate to others the scientific reasons why he had succeeded. It was not until nearly fifty years later that Louis Pasteur proved his conjecture that heat destroys bacteria.
