The History of Food Preservation: How Science in the 18 th and 19 th Centuries Changed the Food Industry

1. The History of Food Preservation: How Science in the 18th and 19th Centuries Changed the Food Industry Sally Tobler December 12, 2006

2. Overview • Continuous evolution – evidence dating back to 20,000 years ago. • Drastic improvements only happening in the last 200 years. • Science during this period (18th and 19th centuries) heavily influenced preservation and the food industry.

3. Preservation Effects • Permitted less nomadic travels • Communities, civilizations established • Expeditions were extended in time and routes • Increasing populations had better supplies of foods • Helped eliminate food borne diseases • Supplies could last throughout seasons, extending life expectancies.

4. Preservation Methods • Five main ways to preserve foods and remove microorganisms: • Chemicals • Drying • Refrigeration • Canning • Radiation The last three methods are current practices, developed and modified in the last two centuries.

5. Egyptian Preservation • Most of the preservation used in Egypt focused on grains and cereals. • Methods used were primarily storage and drying. • Storage of grains important in fear of the Nile not flooding regularly and crops not being nourished. • Storage facilities were located throughout communities for distribution. • The storage and drying processes provided distinguished jobs.

6. Egyptian Preservation • Beer was a common staple of the Egyptian diet. • Evidence of beer dates back to 4000 B.C. • Breweries and bakeries were complex structures. • Wine was produced as well, only for the elite. • Fish and meats were also preserved, by drying and some salting. • First area to demonstrate the use of sweeteners, such as honey in their diets and foods.

7. Mesopotamian Preservation • Earliest wine making evidence- dating back to 6000 B.C. • This viticulture spread to Egypt. • Writing first developed in this region in the late 4th century B.C. • Evidence of ration lists, food distributions and granary inventories. • Narratives passed on about preservation methods.

8. Mesopotamian Preservation • First evidence of ovens. • “tannur” ovens • Beehive shape, stood upright • Made of out clay and gypsum • Withstand temps up to 850°C • Used to cook grains and breads. • Fish was commonly dried, smoked, and pressed for oils. • The early beer and wine added important proteins and nutrients to the diets since the beverages were very low in alcoholic content

9. Early Methods • The early methods of brewing, baking, and winemaking created products that allowed trades and commerce. • Storage of grains added tetracyclines to the diets, which probably helped resist many diseases and infections. • The preserved products also introduced proteins and vitamins into the diets.

10. Other Early Methods • Pompeii- jars of fruit preserved in honey. • Rome- first preserved ham • Vikings laid fish in the riggings of their ships to let sea wind dry their fish. • Early North American Indians- pemmican • Remove fat, cook meat, then grind fat and meat into a paste. • Prevented deterioration. • Important for fur traders during the 17th , 18th , 19th centuries. • New stoneware developed during the 16th centuries • Could stand high temperatures 1200-1400°C

11. Food Preservation Shift • During the 17th and 18th centuries, new ingredients were being created. • Imported spices and sugars increased the variety of foods. • The 18th century created a shift in food preservation from a necessity for survival to a desire for delicacies. • 1735- botulism first recognized (from sausage use) • Food preservation methods used were not effective enough for long term use. • Better methods were needed for safer food consumption. • Switch from primitive methods used to flavor foods to newer scientific techniques that removed life from food.

12. Reasons for Better Methods • Britain’s population doubled within the 19th century. • Starvation, malnutrition • Agricultural machinery improving- fertilizers developed • Extensions of railways and transportation systems. • In America, no commercial food preservation. • During and after the Civil War, United States was producing 500,000 tons of preserved foods per year. • Microbial causes of deterioration and disease were being discovered. • Food technology was being seen in a more scientific way.

13. Spallanzani • Did not believe in spontaneous generation (the common idea during the 18th century) • Did not believe that “animalcules” rose from dead substances. • Instead of corking glass vessels, he sealed vessels containing soup with glass. • After boiling each vessel for periods of time, he removed to let cool for a while an then observed. • Vessels that had been sealed with glass and boiled for an hour showed no animalcules; vessels that had been sealed and boiled for a few minutes still showed microbes. • He realized that the animalcules got into the soups from the air, not by spontaneously generating. • He also recognized that heating or cooking substances for longer periods of time was better to kill microorganisms.

14. Nicolas Appert • During the late 18th century, there was a great demand for better preservation methods for naval expeditions. • Scurvy was a prominent disease. • Appert not a trained scientist. • Appert designed a method to heat and seal foods for bottling and canning. • Worked on his process for years before opening a factory in 1795.

15. Appert’s process • Steps: • Cook (boil) the food. • Bottle food in appropriate vessel. • Cork vessel. • Water-bath to boil vessel with product. • Remove product after set period of time and let cool.

16. Appert’s process • Recognized excluding air was critical. • Created strong corks that supported inside and outside of bottle. • Created a glue out of isinglass to join pieces of cork together, creating large and strong corks to withstand heat and pressure. • Created a luting of quick lime and water. Smeared on top of corks to prevent air from entering the bottles. • Only used glass bottles with wide necks to permit many foods. • Bottles had rims or rings so lids could be placed on top. • Stand up bottles for easy storage and packaging.

17. Appert’s process • Preserved many foods: • Meats • Gravies • Fish • Vegetables – peas, onions, asparagus, spinach, etc. • Fruits – currants, cherries, nectarines, etc. • Milk, eggs, cream

18. Appert’s process • After 7 years of factory work, Appert sent out samples of his products for the navy. • Received great success. • “In each bottle and at little cost is a glorious sweetness that recalls the month of May in the heart of winter.” ~Grimond de la Reynière (Thorne, 1986, pg. 30) • Published book detailing process for domestic and commercial use.

19. Louis Pasteur • Did not believe in spontaneous generation. • Believed that particles in the air cause contamination. • Developed a swan-neck flask to exclude air. • After boiling yeast soups in these flasks, he observed no contaminants. • Baffled naturalists and chemists of the time who believed in spontaneous generation.

20. Pasteur • Later worked with yeasts and diseases in wines. • Believed that heating wines after fermentation processes were completed would kill microbes. • Heating the wines quickly to 130°F displayed no microbes or unpleasant flavors. • This process is now known as pasteurization. • Success and immediately used in the food industry. • Used in beer, milk, wine and vinegar making. • Helped set precautions to avoid spoilage of food products. • Opened the door for microbial research, especially in the food industry.

21. Canning • Canning gained popularity after the Civil War. • English immigrant, William Underwood, introduced canning to America. • John L. Mason invented his famous canning jar in 1858. • Metal cap and rubber gasket to create a seal. • Mass productions were available for home and commercial use. • Revolutionized the way people all over the world ate. • United States consume more than 200 million cans of food and drink each day!

22. Clarence Birdseye • Discovered at home in Canada, foods left in the ice had better flavors than others. • Experimented with different foods and freezing times. • Quickly freezing foods helped retain flavor and quality. • Developed a method to freeze: • Metal plates soaked in calcium chloride brine and chilled. Food packed between the plates. • Method patented in 1928. • Used commercially with fish and meats.

23. Birdseye • 1930- first Birdseye freezer introduced in Massachusetts. • Birdseye developed many different freezers for domestic and commercial use.

24. Preservation Today • Freeze-drying used for military and space expeditions. • Foods subjected to high pressures • Expensive but highly effective. • Radiation used frequently • HTST – High Temperature Short Time processing.

25. Preservation Today • New food borne pathogens being discovered. • Greater need for safer home and commercial preservation methods. • Clostridium botulinum – most famous microorganism in food industry. • Listeria monocytogenes – recent pathogen

26. Preservation Today • Many domestic processes: • Canning • Freezing • blanching • Preserving with sugars • Jams, jellies, preserves, marmalades, butters • Oven or sun drying

27. Conclusions • Before 18th and 19th Centuries: long term preservation was non-existent or unsuccessful. • Traveling, expeditions, and foods were limited by the scientific knowledge and processes. • After 18th and 19th Centuries: preservation methods improved. • Nutritional diseases declined. • Foods can be supplied all over. • Traveling easier and more applicable. • Less deterioration or spoilage of foods. • Methods continuously being re-evaluated for safe consumption.