Nicolas Appert biography
Nicolas Appert, (born c. 1750, Châlons-sur-Marne, Fr.—died June 3, 1841, Massy, close to Paris), French chef, confectioner, and distiller who invented the tactic of preserving meals by enclosing it in hermetically sealed containers. Inspired by the French Directory’s supply of a prize for a method to preserve meals for transport, Appert started a 14-year interval of experimentation in 1795. Using corked-glass containers strengthened with wire and sealing wax and stored in boiling water for various lengths of time, he preserved soups, fruits, greens, juices, dairy merchandise, marmalades, jellies, and syrups. A 12,000-franc award in 1810 specified that he publish his findings, which appeared that 12 months as L’Art de conserver, pendant plusieurs années, toutes les substances animales et végétales (The Art of Preserving All Kinds of Animal and Vegetable Substances for Several Years). He used the cash to determine the primary industrial cannery, the House of Appert, at Massy, which operated from 1812 till 1933. Appert additionally developed the bouillon pill, devised a nonacid gelatin-extraction technique, and perfected an autoclave.