What critical combination did Appert realize protected the food contents during preservation?

Answer

Sealing and heating

The core of Nicolas Appert's successful technique lay in the synergistic interaction between two distinct steps applied sequentially to the packed food. Appert’s key realization was that merely sealing the food tightly, or merely applying heat, was insufficient on its own to prevent spoilage over months. The protection was achieved only through the *combination* of hermetically sealing the food within the glass bottle (thereby locking air and potential contaminants out) and subsequently exposing that sealed container to prolonged periods of high heat, specifically by submerging the bottles in boiling water. This combined action successfully stopped the processes of decay, allowing rations to remain edible even after rough transport across terrain.

What critical combination did Appert realize protected the food contents during preservation?

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