WELLINGTON NEWS

Hokitika Guardian, 3 April 1929, Page 2

WELLINGTON NEWS

TINNED PLATES AND

CANNED FUJI)

(Special, To The Uimuoian ]

WELLINGTON, April 2.

It is not generally known that the genesis of tinned food dates hack it is said to the time of Napoleon, who demanded from lijs exports “food in airtight packages that would be “sterilised with heat, so that it would keep.” Nicholas Appert complied with the demand A year later Peter Durand took out a patent in England on his invention for preserving food in “tin canisters.” Two years later the tin can was introduced into the United States a country which at once became alive to the possibilities and monetary value of the industry. For 70 years tin cans were made in the United States by hand, and the tinsmith who could turn out 100 cans a day was a skilled workman indeed. Jiyst before the turn of the century automatic tin-can making machinery came in and the “sanitary” top tin was patented in 1904. Now as many as 800 tins a minute are produced by a single unit of can-making machinery of modern nature. The modern tin container, soldcrless except for a small application on the outer edge of the side seam, represents as great an improvement over the original invention as the [iresent day motor ear does over its forerunners. Equally as great strides have been made by the canning industry in the methods used in canning food. This improvement in scientific methods of sterilising and processing now in use by ca liners, lias practically climated any waste of tinned foods. Canned foods now play a very important part in the domestic life of the people and most of the objections to it formerly held have completely disappeared. Sir W. Arbutlinot Lane, the distinguished London physician, recently issued a pamphlet entitled “Canned Food and Health”, The pamphlet is based on a report on the ! subject made by the scientific experts lof the New Health Society. “While i a great still remains to he investigat--1 ed (writes Sir Arbutlinot), the facts | already established constitute a j triumph for modern canning science, and show what can lie done for the public: by the close alliance ol disinterested scientific research and enlightened business minds.” Emphasising the importance of a generous consumption of fruit and vegetables, Sir Arbutlinot summarises the benefits ot canning as follows: “It being wholesome food ; within the reach of millions of people, I prevents waste, lengthens the lilo ol fruit crops and vegetables, obliterates the seasons, adds variety to the diet and gives incentive to appetite. "Wo live in an ago when new foods or old foods restored, are playing an ever increasing part in making the modern dietary what it ought to he (and says) its basis is undoubtedly natural foods, and this includes canned foods treated on modern principles” The layman realises lie must have food which combines the merits of high nutritive value purity, cleanliness, safety and easy preservation, so that it will he available immediately he requires it. “The canned fruits of the great firms of today (states tho doctor) practically all fulfil these requirements, and there is no doubt that tho well organised research work of scientists will combine to expand still more the range of these excellent foodstuffs, and so serve the interests of the public, the vast number of workpeople engaged in their manufacture and distribution and the business world in general”

There has been an enormous expansion in the world’s consumption of tin plates. In 1913 practically the only countries exporting were the United Kingdom and the United States and in that year the total quantity exported

ljy them was 01>7,600 tons, hut in 1927 j the exports of the United Kingdom, the j United States and (formally totalled j nearly 750,000 tons, while in 1928 their j united exports amounted to between j 8„0,()U0 and 850,000 tons. The chief gainer from this expansion has been ;he United States. 'l'lie fact must be recognised that in recent years the quality of the American tin plate has equalled, and often excelled, that manufactured in South Wales; but the severity of the competition between the two countries was frequently accompanied by avoidable price-cutting. Their rivalry has been substantially modified by agreement upon the basis of their export trades. The production of tin plates in America has been increased since 191:} from about 820.900 tons per annum to nearly 2,000,000 tons. By far the greater part of this enormous increase has been absorbed by the domestic market, but exports have been, rapidly increasing.