Preservation – Gastro Marca España – www.gastromarcaespana.es

Tins and jars: optimum quality forever

Product preservation, which is closely linked to the history of gastronomy, begins when man discovers, in times of abundance, the need to preserve certain food items which may be in short supply at a later time. This is almost an age-old fact although perfecting this technique has been a relatively recent social achievement. ()

The world’s preservation industry dates back to the end of the 18th century and the beginning of the 19th century. Its first driving force was the Frenchman, Nicolás Appert, who succeeded in preserving certain foodstuffs in glass jars specifically designed to be submerged in boiling water. Almost in parallel, Peter Durand from Britain experimented with similar techniques using ceramic and tin containers, whereby the latter was consolidated as the main option.

The work of Appert and Durand and that of other pioneers benefited from Louis Pasteur’s discoveries and his theories on bacteria development and fermentation, which enabled food to last longer. As time went by, it was confirmed that tins are the ideal containers for most products because they never alter the contents. They can adapt to very different substances, allow for hermetic seals and they can also be heated as they are a magnificent heat conductor. In the darkness of the tin, all of the properties of the preserves are kept intact.

“In the darkness of the tin, all of the properties of the preserves are kept intact”.

The preservation process requires that the product and packaging are subject to high temperatures and tins are the element that best responds to the demands of the preserve manufacturing process. However, the fact that the container is made of metal does not mean that it is heavy. In fact, in fish and seafood preserves in which aluminium is present due to the lightweight advantages inherent in this material, steel tins are increasingly being used as they combine optimum features with an extremely light weight thanks to the ongoing research by manufacturers.

The easy-to-open lid, another Spanish contribution, is well appreciated among consumers thanks to its easy handling. The glass jar, which was first used for the creation of preserves, had to be replaced with more resistant materials although it has proven throughout its history to be one of the most environmentally friendly containers as it is recyclable and never changes the properties of its contents.

Plastic containers, which are forced to comply with today’s strict regulations, cannot be forgotten either. There is a wide variety of ready-to-cook convenience food on the market which is intended to be heated in the microwave without even removing the packaging. In addition to its versatility in terms of shape and uses, these new containers weigh less and less, offering slight concessions to the design world.