Canned Food

Hope you’re hungry because today we’re opening a can of historical worms as we discover the origins of canned food. How did canned food go from something only explorers would consider eating to the centrepiece of kitchen cupboards? What does a competition run by Napoleon have to do with things? And is it true that the can opener wasn't invented until decades after the can was?Our guest today is Anna Zeide, author of Canned: The Rise and Fall of Consumer Confidence in the American Food Industry.Produced by Freddy Chick. Editing and sound design by Thomas Ntinas. Executive Producer is Charlotte Long.If you'd like to learn even more, we have hundreds of history documentaries, ad-free podcasts, and audiobooks at History Hit - enter promo code PATENTED for a free trial, plus 50% off your first three months' subscription. To download, go to Android or Apple store.