The Tragedy of Nicolas Appert

Innovating does not always ensure success or prosperity. Some ended up in dire financial stress for the rest of their lives. Just as the case for the father of modern food industry and thinker behind canning or rather bottling, Nicolas Appert.

Early Life

Born on November 17, 1749, Nicolas Appert came from a family of farmers and innkeepers in Chalons-sur-Marne in the Champagne Region of France. He never received formal education, rather he helped in his family's business.

At a young age, Appert already familiarized himself with cooking and preserving food. He helped in the pickling of vegetables and later brewing beer as well as other alcohol. These sowed the seeds for his future pursuits.

As he grew to adulthood, Appert worked as an apprentice for a chef in Palais Royal Hotel in Chalon. Apparently, his talent seemed so great it led him as a chef for Christian IV, Duke of Palatinate-Zweibrücken. By 1780, he moved to Paris and earned a reputation as an amazing confectionery and pastry chef. Key to a woman’s heart seemed through her stomach when Appert in 1785 married Elisabeth Benoist to whom he fathered 5 children.

Sample of Preserved Foods

In Service of the State

This married renowned candy maker later found another passion - Revolution. In 1789, France descended into political upheaval and the people took arms against the monarchy and the aristocracy. Appert thrusted himself to the cause.

He dedicated his wealth and freedom for the Revolution. He donated money and later turned into a politician representing his district in the General Assembly. He even said to have participated in the vote executing King Louis XVI.

Amidst the chaos, Appert grew his interest from satisfying sweet teeth to filling baskets. Not the guillotine basket though. He opened a grocery where he also sold pickled vegetables. All while he  supported the Revolution.

In 1795, France survived an onslaught from the armies of Europe's monarchies. From a successful defense, they turned the tables by launching a counter attack against the First Coalition, and the ruling Directory of France then needed soldiers. This, however, strained food supplies.

The Directory turned to science and to the people of France for solutions. They offered 12,000 Francs to whoever could introduce a new way to conveniently feed a huge army through food preservation. In short, the Directory wanted a decent take out for soldiers.

Storming of Bastille marked a pivotal role in the French Revolution

Appertizing France

Appert took the challenge posted by the Directory and went to work. His saga lasted for more than 14 years until finally receiving the recognition. He seemed on his way to greatness.

The revolutionary Willy Wonka relied on his long experience with food. He said:

“Brought up to the business of preserving alimentary substance by the received methods; having spent my days in the pantries, the breweries, store-houses, and cellars of Champagne, as well as in the shops, manufactories, and warehouses of confectioners, distillers, and grocers; accustomed to superintend establishments of this kind for forty-five years, I have been able to avail myself, in my process, of a number of advantages, which the greater number of those persons have not possessed, who have devoted themselves to the art of preserving provisions.”

Appert shunned using salt, sugar, or vinegar in his process. Using the 3 condiments successfully preserved food but at the cost of taste and quality not to mention the price. Back then salt and sugar commanded higher prices than today. Soldiers probably would choose to be shot by Austrians rather than suffer eating pickled vegetables all day for years.

He then looked upon the champagne bottles he used to work with before. If champagne and wine survived being drinkable in these bottles, why not food? From this point, he developed his preservation techniques.

In 1802, as he continued his research, he founded a laboratory and a kitchen in Massy. His facility sounded like a true modern food laboratory. He described it as having “4 compartments or workshops.” 

1. The kitchen where they processed meats and dishes for the bottles. 

2. Area for processing vegetables fresh from the farm or the market. 

3. Area for preparing fruits

4. Cellar for storing and cleaning bottles.

In this facility he undertook trial and error to preserve different ingredients, from peas to meat. Eventually he sent out samples.

Some in the French navy took their chances with Appert's preserves, mainly vegetables and soups. Prior to this, sailors suffered from scurvy and maggot infested biscuits. Hence, they had nothing to lose from trying bottled food, and luckily it did not disappoint them. A review said:

''The broth or soup (bouillon) in bottles were good;... but weak; the bouilli itself was very edible. The beans and green peas, prepared both with meat and vegetable soup, had all the freshness and flavor of recently gathered vegetable.''

By 1809, Appert presented his process to the Bureau of Manufactures of the Ministry of Interior as well as the Society for Encouragement of National Industry. By then, Napoleon Bonaparte ruled France and he loved science and inventors churning out innovations to help the French Empire. Appert successfully gained the government's favor.

Appert summarized his process in his work:

1. To enclose in the bottle or jar the substance that one wishes to preserve;

2. To cork these different vessels with the greatest care because success depends chiefly on the closing;

3. To submit these substances thus enclosed to the action of boiling water in a water-bath for more or less time according to their nature…

4. To remove the bottles from the water-bath at the time prescribed.

The process came to be known as Appertization. However, he himself cannot scientifically explain the process. All he knew, the boiling process kept the freshness of the food inside for months and even years.

The scientific explanation came in decades later with Louis Pasteur. Pasteurization that began with wine then water, milk and other foodstuffs called for boiling to kill off spoilage-causing germs. Hence, Appertization worked.

Louis Pasteur

Before receiving the reward, the government asked Appert to publish his process. The book The Art of Preserving Animal and Vegetable Substances for Many Years came out in 1810. Eventually, the work spread across Europe being translated in different languages including English.

His process became a hit across Europe. As if Gordon Ramsey invented a takeout that lasted forever. The same impact Appert made that time.

After Climax

Appert, just like Elon Musk, continued to churn out new inventions and innovations, but everything changed in a less than a decade. His support for the Revolutionary government haunted him. The turn for tragedy, thus, began.

After winning the 12,000-Franc reward, Appert seemed to be on the top of the world yet he wanted to continue climbing. With the prize money he founded in 1812 the La Maisson de Appert or House of Appert in Massy to produce bottled food. This company prospered until 1933. 

All while he continued to innovate. He unveiled new products such as in 1814, the bouillon cubes. Later he found a way to create gelatin from bone marrows. However, dark clouds loomed on the horizon.

In 1814, the war shifted again. Napoleon went on the defensive and the Allied forces of Europe marched into France. The House of Appert went up in flames during the invasion. Eventually, Napoleon lost the war and the monarchy returned to power. With some luck, Appert received help from the restored monarchy and rebuilt the House of Appert in Paris receiving subsidy in rent.

Napoleon Bonaparte

He managed to export his products across Europe and that marked the last highs of Appert. His background as a revolutionary made him a target for the conservatives and monarchists. He faced harassment as the 1820s progressed. Soon he lost his subsidy in 1827. 

Situation turned sour due to Appert's financial management. His experimentation cost a lot of money, but received only a small if not zero return of investment. A great thinker, but a bad businessman.

Eventually he called it quits. In 1836, he retired from the House of Appert and turned it over to Raymod Chevalier-Appert. By then, the burden of life, business, and harassment from the Monarchist broke him both in soul and in balance sheets. He lived in poverty and in 1841 passed away then to be buried in a pauper’s grave. His demise completed a chapter of tragedy from a man who changed mankind’s diet.

Summing Up

Nicolas Appert no doubt changed mankind’s diet. He made steps that turned food into an industry and wide distribution. His work became a stepping block for others inspiring new innovations such as the steel or tin cans, the autoclave, and the mason jars. Nevertheless, becoming an inspiring innovator did not mean a life of comfort. 

For Appert, bad financial decisions and the political climate turned things bad. Ultimately, he passed away in poverty and buried in a common grave. Only after his death and perhaps the tragedy of his life reopened the appreciation of his contributions resulting in awards and streets being named after this confectioner from the Champagne region of France.

See also:

The Times and Innovation of Nicolas Appert

Industrial Revolution of France

Bibliography:

Editors of Encyclopedia Britannica. "Nicolas Appert." In Encyclopedia Britannica. Accessed on April 1, 2024. URL: https://www.britannica.com/biography/Nicolas-Appert

Appert, N. trans. by K.G. Bitting. The Book for all Households; or, The Art of Preserving Animal and Vegetable Substances for Many Years. Chicago, Illinois: n.a., 1920.

Eschner, Kat. "The Father of Canning Knew His Process Worked, But Not Why It Worked." In Smithsonian Magazine. Accessed on April 1, 2024. URL: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/father-canning-knew-his-process-worked-not-why-it-worked-180961960/